Alternative Food Networks, Social Capital, and Public Policy in Mexico City

Abstract

Social initiatives that seek to promote socially fairer and environmentally more sustainable food production and distribution schemes have multiplied in the last two decades. Several studies have analysed their impacts and showed high contextual variability, making visible some of their contradictions. This research is interested in Alternative Food Networks (AFNs) as spaces of political mobilisation that aim to modify the predominant food systems. The analysis focuses on the role played by social capital in the capacities and strategies of AFNs to influence the design of public policies. The research was carried out in Mexico City as part of a wither participatory action research project. It is based on participant observation and discussion groups with representatives of citizen collectives involved in agroecological food distribution. The results show that the forms of social and cultural capital are key factors in understanding the interest and capacities of AFNs to strengthen collective action. The study also identifies the importance of the initiatives’ managers as facilitators of interactions between AFNs and other entities, such as universities and civil society organisations, which can ease the influence of social initiatives in the design of public programmes.

Conceptualization of alternative food networks in Latin America: a case study of a local food system in Southwestern Colombia

“…From the consumers' perspective, it is not feasible to pay more for organic produce, miss work to attend a farmers' market, or pay a large sum of money upfront for community supported agriculture programs. Similarly for producers, these schemes do not result in enough profit, and put them at risk of losing money; driving them towards conventional production to ensure sales (Pasquier Merino et al, 2022). From the perspective of AFN in the Global North, this dynamic may be judged as 'bad behavior' contributing further to conventional food systems, but it is important to distinguish between the values of the food system actors and their behaviors.…”

Circuitos cortos de comercialización en la Zona Metropolitana de Xalapa, Veracruz, México, un análisis estructural para su fortalecimiento

“…Por lo anterior, estos procesos recaen, principalmente, en los gestores, quienes en la práctica pueden ser los mismos productores, miembros de OSC, investigadores, estudiantes y consumidores; dichos actores desempeñan funciones de control, supervisión y planificación. Al respecto, la gestión de los CCC está condicionada por el tiempo y la capacidad disponible de los gestores, dado que en diversos casos dicha gestión surge a partir de voluntariados o proyectos académicos con límites de tiempo y recursos (Pasquier-Merino et al, 2022).…”