Weaving political projects: the trajectory of the National Agroecology Articulation

Abstract

The research sought to understand the formation and political organization of the National
Articulation of Agroecology (ANA), understood as a network with heterogeneous connections
and social actors, established in 2002 to promote policy formulation and exchanges between
organizations working with agroecology. We followed ANA’s trajectory to understand how the
association promoted agroecology as a recognized public problem and represented itself as a
social network, both for converging approaches and actions, and to oppose the agribusiness
and to dispute public policies. As methodological tools, we conducted semi-structured interviews,
participation in events and analysis of various documents. The action as a network,
even in a horizontal effort, revealed concentrations, controversies and dynamics with different
degrees of involvement. ANA as part of the agroecological movement has boosted the political
significance of agroecology as a frame, mobilized the actors to a public problem and to network
shares with proposals for a new utopia.