Agroecology, organic agriculture and the institutionalization of relations whit the market in organizations of producers in the south of Brasil

Abstract

The main thrust of this article is to propose a discussion concerning organic agriculture and its relationship to the market within specific Brazilian organizations of producers; there is also here an attempt to identify any opportunities for adding value to their products. In order to accomplish this objective, an analysis was performed of the agriculturists’ perceptions as well as the values they attribute to the different commercialization strategies adopted by those organizations to which they belong. For this study seven organizations of agriculturists in the three southern states of Brasil were selected. For the collecting of information concerning these groups primary sources (such as in-depth interviews and various documents) were used. To support this analysis the Institutional Theory was employed as well as the concept of Agroecology and the definitions of Organic Agriculture. It was also possible to define the market relationships within organic agriculture. The references for this institutionalization process are based in the social perceptions of the concept of food quality, especially the values associated with biodiversity (sustainability) and access to the market (authenticity) – characteristics that are connected to the concept of food security.