Citizen initiatives against the established food order Experiences from the perspective of urban agglomeration in Seville (Spain)

Abstract

The transition that has been taking place in recent decades towards a food regime marked by globalisation and financialisation is another of the consequences of the latest phase of the capitalist system. In the latter, the emphasis is on large-scale standardised production, with commercial distribution concentrated in large transnational corporations, which are the main players in the global agri-food organisation. In this context, both producers and consumers, who are increasingly distanced from each other, have limited decision-making capacity and are subject to the discretion and interests of regulatory institutions and financial markets. At the same time, criticism of the prevailing models of food production, distribution and consumption has spread, and a whole series of citizen movements and initiatives against the established food order have proliferated, coordinated by collectives and groups that strengthen links and interrelate to form a network. The objective of this paper is to analyse the territorial implications of alternative food networks, taking as a field of study the urban agglomeration of Seville, which ranks fourth in demographic importance in Spain. It is assumed that this type of network, although still an emerging phenomenon, has significant territorial repercussions for urban and peri-urban areas. The methodology applied is of a mixed nature: qualitative, based on semi-structured interviews and virtual observation; and quantitative, based on the analysis of databases and social networks. Throughout the research it has been found that the presence and scope of these networks must be related to the demographic size and social dynamism of the territory, the way in which the socio-labour structure withstood the financial crisis of 2008, the progressive nature of urban populations and, above all, the existence of social movements and associative fabrics that, from their community base (vindicatory and autonomous), can implement these types of experiences.