Suchergebnisse

Agroecology in Brazil is quickly gaining momentum with the recent passing of Decree 7.794 of 20 August 2012 for a National Policy for Agroecology and Organic Production (PLANAPO) and strong support from civil society organisations. While PLANAPO was officially launched on 17 October 2013, the implementation of this policy in terms of outreach, coverage and effectiveness is yet to be determined. This study examines agroecological farm production in Brazil and the effectiveness of family farm programmes and policies in supporting a transition towards agroecological production. We also reveal the importance of family farms in Brazil and examine public policies and programmes implemented to support family farmers2 in the country. We start this analysis by discussing the 'Brazilian agricultural dilemma' and its inherent contradictions and conflicts. We then provide a comprehensive policy analysis based on government reports and complement this analysis with our empirical data based on field work conducted in April 2012. Based on these findings, we highlight several weaknesses and failures and implications going forward for scaling up agroecological production. With timely and relevant data, we hope this Working Paper contributes to the policy discussion based on agroecology and provides some key insights for future design and implementation.

[Introduction .] The paper begins in Section 2 by providing an overview of the design, operations and trajectories of the PAA. We explore the actors involved in the design and the different implementation modalities (i.e. purchase from individual farmers and associations and organisation of purchase by the national supply company, local municipalities and states). The actual steps that need to be followed in the procurement process are also outlined with a view to highlighting some of the key issues that will have a bearing on scaling up the programme in terms of the scale of its scope and reach to some of the more vulnerable family farmers. Section 3 outlines the objectives of this study which are to (i) to provide first-hand documentation of the design and operations of the programme - which includes the observed physical actors - involved in design and implementation; and (ii) to identify the potential for scaling up the programme in country and the possibilities for South-South knowledge-building. Desk research is informed by field research in the states of Piauí and Ceará, both of which are in the north-eastern region of Brazil. This region has the highest incidence of extreme poverty in the country, a major share of which is located in rural areas. Consequently, the federal government sees the expansion of the PAA as a crucial instrument to achieve its goal of eliminating extreme poverty, especially in the north-eastern region. Piauí is one of the states that has most deployed the PAA-Estadual modality. Ceará was chosen to observe the PAA-Municipal modality which is not present in Piauí. Section 4 then looks at issues of recent policy developments and scaling up, particularly at the level of expanding coverage for the extreme poor. Expansion of the programme can be analysed in terms of different pathways (Linn/IFPRI, 2012). Geographical expansion or expanding coverage to a particular population under the programme could follow a 'horizontal' duplication in new areas. The addition or modification of ...

Evo Morales rose to power on the shoulders of Bolivia's most powerful social movements, ostracizing the neoliberal elite with a progressive-left populist discourse that swept through Latin America. After nearly 14 years in power, Morales's caudillo-style leadership shifted toward authoritarianism and a politics of division that ultimately led to his ouster as president. While many have been quick to adopt the narrative of a coup d'état, this perspective plays directly into the oversimplified binary politics used by the Morales administration, overlooking the complexity and fluidity of social forces and the changing state-society dynamics over time. Evo Morales suffered a crisis of legitimacy that was years in the making. His authoritarian tendencies, alliances with classes of capital, and reliance on the extractive economy ultimately led to his downfall as he lost support from his social bases and was unwilling to give up state power. The electoral scandal in October 2019 and the subsequent departure of Evo Morales into political exile were only the tip of the iceberg. Evo Morales accedió al poder gracias a los movimientos sociales más poderosos de Bolivia, en conflicto con la élite neoliberal y utilizando un discurso populista de izquierda progresista que se extendió por América Latina. Después de casi 14 años en el poder, el liderazgo caudillista de Morales viró hacia el autoritarismo y una política divisoria que finalmente llevó a su destitución como presidente. Si bien muchos se han apresurado a adoptar la narrativa de un golpe de Estado, esta perspectiva se enfila directamente con la política binaria simplista utilizada por la administración misma de Morales, pasando por alto la complejidad y fluidez de las fuerzas sociales, así como la dinámica cambiante estado-sociedad a través del tiempo. Morales sufrió una crisis de legitimidad que se gestó durante años. Sus tendencias autoritarias, sus alianzas con las clases capitalistas y su dependencia de la economía extractiva finalmente llevaron a su caída: perdió el apoyo de sus bases sociales sin estar dispuesto a renunciar al poder estatal. El escándalo electoral de octubre de 2019 y su posterior exilio político fueron tan solo la punta del iceberg.

"This book investigates the many ways in which industrial capitalist agriculture has penetrated and transformed contemporary Latin America. Using a range of case studies from across the region, the book considers the socio-economic, political and ecological implications of the agro-industrial model when compared to alternative, less intensive models based on cooperative, smallholder or peasant agriculture and with agroecological farming methods. The concept of agrarian extractivism challenges the idea that industrial agriculture is bringing lasting local benefits, instead arguing that it is characterized by a few multinational corporations controlling both ends of the value chain, and extracting natural and surplus value, whilst exploiting labour and contaminating the ecological material base. At a time when most influential development institutions are promoting the agro-industrial model for combatting rural poverty and feeding the world, this book provides a nuanced assessment of the social, economic and environmental implications of intensification. Highlighting the importance of adopting a critical engagement with the dominant model of agricultural development, this book provides a timely contribution to debates regarding agrarian and environmental change and rural transformations. It will be of interest to scholars across critical development studies, rural studies, environmental studies, and Latin American studies."