The objective of this article is to analyze how public policies implemented by the Mexican government support or hinder the work of Alternative Food Networks (AFNs) and their efforts to build food sovereignty in their territories. To this end, 13 federal programs and two laws in force during the 2018-2024 period were reviewed. These programs and laws consider agroecology, the social solidarity economy, and food sovereignty, among other aspects, in order to determine their accessibility, the challenges they involve, their areas of opportunity, and their current impact on the AFNs. Among the main findings of this review was that the instruments mentioned are insufficient to facilitate the work of the AFNs and generate consolidated and more far-reaching organizational processes. The lack of differentiation in the incentives offered to producers depending on whether or not they adopt more sustainable practices-organic production, better yields, use of native or creole seeds, etc.-and the lack of support for collective organization and management are recurring themes. However, we observed that the AFNs participate in programs that indirectly affect their work. In order to design public policies that strengthen AFNs, it is first necessary to recognize the work carried out by these networks, promote their self-determination, and provide conditions and tools that enable them to resolve the problems they face on their own. The aim is to enable their emergence, growth, and integration, and to ensure that they actively participate in the construction and evolution of public policies themselves.
PROCAMPO, created in 1994 to mitigate the effects of NAFTA on Mexican peasant economies, was established in Mexico as an emblem of public policy for agricultural development, based on a compensatory scheme that accompanied neoliberal reforms. PROCAMPO was analyzed as an example of trends in agricultural policy, exploring how it reflects the strategies and objectives that have guided Mexican agricultural policy, and how some political narratives are integrated into the country's institutional structures and bureaucratic processes. Using a historical-institutional analysis of the program's implementation and transformation over six presidential terms, we examined 1) the program's structure, based on the network of institutions involved and the relationships between them; 2) its operation, identifying regulatory and financial mechanisms and its scope (beneficiaries and areas covered); and 3) adjustments based on the objectives of each presidential term. The institutional structure was found to mirror the Mexican neoliberal paradox, where the narrative that modernization requires less state participation in productive sectors is reproduced, while the image of the welfare state, deeply rooted in Mexican politics and rural society, persists and is expressed through patronage practices that reinforce ties of dependency between farmers and public officials.
This study aims to determine the demographic characteristics of enterprises producing geographically indicated & Ccedil;atak walnuts grown in Van Province, to identify difficulties related to production activities and to offer solution suggestions. In the study, it was determined that & Ccedil;atak walnuts were produced in 974 enterprises in an area of 438,585 ha in Van Province in 2022. The data obtained from the selected 254 enterprises were analyzed using the probit method in the SPSS package program. According to the research results, 47.00% of the producers were female and 53.00% were male. It was determined that 45.82% of the 15-49 age group, defined as the economically active population of the enterprises, were female and 51.25% were male. In the research, the average land area was determined as 10.96 ha and the average parcel number was determined as 1.30 ha. The average production area of & Ccedil;atak walnut was determined as 1.12 ha. The production cost of & Ccedil;atak walnut was calculated as 27.28 L/kg (1.57 & euro;/kg). In the study, the marketing margin of & Ccedil;atak walnut with shell was calculated as 15.00 L/kg (0.87 & euro;/kg), and the marketing margin of walnut without shell was calculated as 64.20 L/kg (3.70 & euro;/kg). It was determined that walnut production in the region was primitive and unconscious, and it was determined that the establishment of unions and signing contracts with companies to support & Ccedil;atak walnut production, providing sufficient support for inputs and informing producers about the support provided were important for the sustainability of walnut production.
Amenity migration is a contemporary demographic phenomenon characterized by the voluntary movement of people, generally from urban areas, to rural areas that offer a high quality of life and natural attractions. This type of migration is mainly motivated by the search for a quieter lifestyle, a healthier environment, and a closer connection with nature. This research analyzed the socio-spatial dynamics of amenity migration in four municipalities of Eastern Antioquia, Colombia: La Ceja, Concepción, El Carmen de Viboral and Cocorná. Through a qualitative collective case study, the profiles of migrants, mainly upper-middle-income professionals seeking tranquility and opportunities for telecommuting or retirement in rural areas, were examined. The results revealed the coexistence of urban and rural territorialities, with spatial choices influenced by migrants' economic capital. Relational, environmental and spatial tensions between migrants and rural residents were identified, affecting territorial dynamics. A trend towards urbanization of rural areas was observed, with the real estate market transforming rural space into a commodity for consumption and production within a capitalist framework. The conclusions presented new socio-spatial configurations, indicating a model of urban expansion into rural space.
The global agrifood system has led to the exclusion of small-scale actors—deemed inefficient and redundant—who are unable to integrate into the dynamics imposed by global capital logic. Consequently, many of those excluded have devised strategies to sustain themselves and survive. This article aims to analyze the formation of a collaborative network in northeastern Mexico by examining the characteristics of linkages, practices, and experiences regarding the production, marketing, distribution, and consumption of small-scale food products within a specific case study. Using an action-research methodology, the study examined the characteristics of six production-consumption units located in the southeastern region of Coahuila and the city of Monterrey, Nuevo León. Based on a theoretical analysis of Solidarity-Based Collaborative Networks (RCS) and empirical evidence from the case study, it is evident that these production-consumption units possess structural and functional characteristics that tend to form a genuine RCS. This network helps meet members’ needs and improve their quality of life, operating under conditions that transcend the purely mercantile and exploitative relationships typical of conventional market circuits. Finally, the study concludes that the initiative goes beyond mere income generation; it fosters the exchange of culture, knowledge, experiences, and friendships, all underpinned by an ethic of care for human health and the environment.
