Work

What happened to agroecology? Tracing Actors’ (Power) relations and the seeming dissipation of transition dynamics in Argentina’s Río Negro Valley

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: In today’s context of polycrisis, agroecology has gained global attention as a transformative alternative for food systems. Although the COVID-19 pandemic initially spurred agroecological practices, these dynamics proved difficult to sustain. This paper explores the seeming dissipation of agroecological transition efforts in Argentina through a political ecology lens, drawing on a case study of the Colectivo Agroecológico (ColAE) in the Valle Inferior de Río Negro. By applying social capital theory, we analyze the movement’s trajectory and identify key barriers to local transition efforts – particularly where (un)shared values, perceptions, and trust intersect with broader political and power dynamics. Our findings challenge linear narratives of scaling and success, exposing risks of epistemic mismatch and institutional co-option. We argue for the strategic value of ‘de-linking’ and propose reimagining transition’s success through metrics rooted in autonomy, resilience, and movement-led priorities.

Source: Geoforum

DOI: 10.1016/j.geoforum.2025.104475

Authors: Anna-Maria Brunner, Felix M. Dorn, Robert Hafner, Delfina Arancio Sidoti

Institutions: Universität Innsbruck, BOKU University

Language: English

Topic: Agriculture, Land Use, Rural Development

Subfield: General Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDGs: Zero hunger, Life on land

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,390