Gobernanza de redes agroalimentarias alternativas: análisis de los mercados de productores con lógicas de transición agroecológica de la red Salsa

Sumario: Alternative agri-food networks (AFNs) build distribution schemes, in which, as the number of intermediaries is reduced, those who produce have greater decision-making capacity and autonomy towards their products, as they approach the final consumers. In these networks, in addition to the closeness between actors, another alternative logic is incorporated into production from the agro-ecological perspective and the social and solidarity economy. Likewise, networks require mechanisms in the configuration of rules and decision-making, to the extent that they arise as processes of collective action from actors and organizations of civil society. All these elements give a political character to the AFNs; at the same time, it represents a challenge to promote their growth and their potential for transformation towards food sovereignty and, derived from it, towards guaranteeing the right to food. AFNs are analysed as collective actions with heterarchical governance processes, evaluating how this operates in a case study. Thus, the development of the theoretical framework and the conceptualization of heterarchical governance for the AFNs were carried out together with the participant observation in the study of the experience of the Regional Integration Committee for food sovereignty and autonomy – SALSA, Bogotá – Cundinamarca. Likewise, the results obtained from the different methodologies used were interpreted in the light of a participatory exercise with actors from the Comité Salsa and by the reflections of the people interviewed and surveyed. The experience of this network was described, with emphasis on the markets advanced by the organizations that comprise it. Based on fieldwork and literature review on AFNs (theories and cases), governance, and the social and solidarity economy, conceptual bases were established for the application of heterarchy in AFN governance, which is generated through horizontal and dynamic relationships. Subsequently, the behaviour of the relational dynamics around AFNs was deepened from the case study. Four types of relationships (peers, informants, interlocutors and co-operators) and three attributes of the relationships (cohesion, trust and synergy) were considered. The analysis of social networks was used, for whose interpretation the contextualization of the case configured from the fieldwork and the application of the net-map tool was essential. From this tool, it was possible to incorporate the reading made by some delegates of the Comité Salsa in front of the networks designed by themselves in the participatory mapping. The low dimension of the mapped networks is accompanied by a low density, warning of flaws in the cohesion of the networks. This is confirmed with the analysis of the attributes considered, as well as with the cohesion analysis by identifying subgroups. Nine organizations were found more closely linked and part of a subgroup in the network of cooperation. Among these organizations, six appear recurrently as those with the highest level of centrality, intermediation, and closeness. These elements must be considered to seek rapprochement with peripheral actors and to stimulate interactions within the Comité Salsa. In addition, a multi-criteria model was built for the analysis of heterarchical governance, considering the dimensions of sustainability, effectiveness, participation, legitimacy, and efficiency of AFNs as collective actions. The Network Analytical Process was used to establish the weight of the criteria associated with such dimensions, incorporating the value judgment of academic experts and participants from organizations related to alternative agri-food systems; the participation criteria obtained a higher weight, evidencing the horizontal and reflective nature of AFNs. Through a questionnaire applied to leaders of 16 organizations of the Comité Salsa, information was constructed to assess the four markets articulated to the network from the criteria of the model for the analysis of governance. The fieldwork was decisive to contribute to the interpretation of the estimation of the variables identified in the model. Markets show considerable variability among them, but generally, they have strengths in the dimensions of legitimacy and efficiency. These areas can be exploited to improve performance in the dimensions of sustainability and participation. Finally, the markets articulated to the Salsa Committee can be understood as transformation niches that still require greater dynamism to link actors of different profiles and sectors. However, to date they have managed to build a base to give continuity to alternative production projects and favour the recognition of producers. In this sense, some lines of future research are suggested at the end of this thesis, in terms of concepts to be explored and methodological aspects to be considered.