Legitimation strategies and appropriation process of alternative food and farming: a focus on biodynamic and nature farming

Abstract

The stay of the visiting professor in Brazil has three main objectives:(1) Contribute to the activities of both the research groups "Emerging alternative agricultures" led by Pr. P.M. Moruzzi (ESALQ/USP) and "Environmental planning and management" led by Pr. L.C. Beduschi (IEE/USP). This will be achieved through the participation of the visiting professor in the monthly meetings of these groups. The visiting professor will give an inaugural address to both groups with different theoretical propositions that every participant will try to grab to question and feed his own researches. During subsequent meetings, the visiting professor and the Brazilian researchers will discuss how these specific perspectives may enrich each ongoing research project within the group. (2) Contribute to two research programs in particular, "Criticism and justifications related to alternative agricultures in Sao Paulo State", led by Pr. P.M. Moruzzi and, "sustainable rural development and environmental governance in a macrometropolitan context", led by Pr. L.C. Beduschi. The visiting professor will undertake fieldwork with Pr. Moruzzi in the municipality of Botucatu, with Pr. Beduschi in the district of Parelheiros and alone in other State localities. He will carry out semi-structured interviews with farmers, local politicians, extension workers, scientists, and representatives of "biodynamic" and "natural farming" organisations. The transversality of the VP research projects will address some specific needs of each of the Brazilian research programmes while contributing to reflections on key themes (e.g., new governance patterns, urban/rural relations, socio-environmental innovation processes). Fieldwork will begin on the second month and last until the penultimate. This latter will mostly be dedicated to data analysis. The last month of the visiting professor's stay will be dedicated to various meetings with the leaders of the research groups aiming (a) to share his field-work outcomes, (b) to plan and begin collaborative papers and (c) to prepare new collaborative research proposals. (3) Give two seminars to the Agroecology and Rural Development Program at the Federal University of Sao Carlos (State of Sao Paulo), along with building new collaborations with Pr. Luiz Antonio Cabello Norder, currently leader of the program. (AU)