The resignification process of Agroecology: Competing narratives from governments, civil society and intergovernmental organizations

Abstract

The definition of Agroecology as a science, as a movement, and as a practice is widely accepted worldwide. But these three approaches are in fact interrelated elements which cannot be separated one from the others. They rather articulate among them to reflect different mental models and narratives all willing to tackle the unsustainability of food systems. However, this fragmentation, together with the late development of policy proposals to promote agroecology at higher scales (political agroecology), has facilitated the emergence of different narratives in the political area, in a process of resignification of what is agroecology. Through a lexicometric analysis of policy documents from different political actors (civil society, governments, and intergovernmental organizations) which self-claim to promote agroecology, I identify five narratives in the political arena, which put different emphasis on the different dimensions of agroecology and on different scales (from farm to the food system).