Present Transformations in Food Systems: Local Initiatives Towards Sustainable and Just Futures in Post-socialist Context

The transformation of food systems offers a distinctive lens to explore prefigurative politics in action. Facing complex socio-ecological challenges, including economic transition, emergent climate change risks, and a growing awareness of food security, the politics of food systems transformation is becoming increasingly critical. This chapter examines the dynamics of prefigurative politics in the context of North Macedonia’s food systems, focusing on local initiatives, and food systems environments attempting to prefigure sustainable, equitable futures. Through a combination of case studies and food systems analysis, this work explores how local actors are reimagining food production, distribution, and consumption to align with principles of sustainability, sufficiency, and social justice. The chapter examines how the First Organic Cooperative (FOC) and the National Federation of Farmers (NFF) e-Farm initiative challenge dominant agro-industrial paradigms and propose alternative models that engage with both local knowledge and broader sustainability goals. The role of prefigurative politics in these movements is critical: local food producers are not merely reacting to current system failures but actively shaping the future of food systems by creating alternatives that resonate with a more equitable and sustainable vision of the future. This contributes to broader debates on how food systems can be transformed in post-socialist contexts through participatory, prefigurative action.