IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/agrhuv/v42y2025i2d10.1007_s10460-024-10656-2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Socioeconomic and political-cultural criteria for Agroecology: learnings from Participatory Guarantee Systems

Author

Listed:
  • Mamen Cuéllar-Padilla

    (Cordoba University)

  • Isabel Haro Pérez

    (Cordoba University)

  • Marina Masso Tarditti

    (University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia)

  • Lara P. Román Bermejo

    (Observatorio Para Una Cultura del Territorio)

  • José Ramón Mauleón

    (Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU))

Abstract

A central debate of Agroecology is the incorporation of socioeconomic and political-cultural criteria in the evaluation of agri-food sustainability. However, the way to define and evaluate these criteria remains an unexplored terrain. In this paper, we aim to systematise how these dimensions are being defined and evaluated through the analysis of 8 initiatives of Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) considered to be part of the agroecological movement in Spain. This analysis identifies those criteria that are commonplace, widely recognised and evaluated by the PGS sample. An in-depth, qualitative analysis of the difficulties that PGS are encountering in defining and evaluating these criteria provides an insight into the complexity of the task. The analysis reveals the hurdles to overcome to better define Agroecology at a supralocal level in order to promote its scaling up and out.

Suggested Citation

  • Mamen Cuéllar-Padilla & Isabel Haro Pérez & Marina Masso Tarditti & Lara P. Román Bermejo & José Ramón Mauleón, 2025. "Socioeconomic and political-cultural criteria for Agroecology: learnings from Participatory Guarantee Systems," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 42(2), pages 1027-1043, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:agrhuv:v:42:y:2025:i:2:d:10.1007_s10460-024-10656-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s10460-024-10656-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10460-024-10656-2
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10460-024-10656-2?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Natalia Brzezina & Katharina Biely & Ariella Helfgott & Birgit Kopainsky & Joost Vervoort & Erik Mathijs, 2017. "Development of Organic Farming in Europe at the Crossroads: Looking for the Way Forward through System Archetypes Lenses," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-23, May.
    2. Angelina Sanderson Bellamy & Antonio A. R. Ioris, 2017. "Addressing the Knowledge Gaps in Agroecology and Identifying Guiding Principles for Transforming Conventional Agri-Food Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-17, February.
    3. Hugo Fjelsted Alroe & Egon Noe, 2008. "What makes organic agriculture move: protest, meaning or market? A polyocular approach to the dynamics and governance of organic agriculture," International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 7(1/2), pages 5-22.
    4. Pantelis Zoiopoulos & Ioannis Hadjigeorgiou, 2013. "Critical Overview on Organic Legislation for Animal Production: Towards Conventionalization of the System?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(7), pages 1-18, July.
    5. Sonja Kaufmann & Christian R. Vogl, 2018. "Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) in Mexico: a theoretic ideal or everyday practice?," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 35(2), pages 457-472, June.
    6. Colin Ray Anderson & Janneke Bruil & Michael Jahi Chappell & Csilla Kiss & Michel Patrick Pimbert, 2019. "From Transition to Domains of Transformation: Getting to Sustainable and Just Food Systems through Agroecology," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-28, September.
    7. Mamen Cuéllar-Padilla & Isabel Haro-Pérez & Mirene Begiristain-Zubillaga, 2022. "Participatory Guarantee Systems: When People Want to Take Part," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-18, March.
    8. Patricia Allen & Martin Kovach, 2000. "The capitalist composition of organic: The potential of markets in fulfilling the promise of organic agriculture," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 17(3), pages 221-232, September.
    9. Claire Dorville & Sylvaine Lemeilleur, 2023. "Institutional change in community-based management for organic labeling: a case study from a Participatory Guarantee System in France," Review of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Studies, Springer, vol. 104(3), pages 377-404, December.
    10. Judith Janker & Stefan Mann, 2020. "Understanding the social dimension of sustainability in agriculture: a critical review of sustainability assessment tools," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 1671-1691, March.
    11. Konefal, Jason & de Olde, Evelien M. & Hatanaka, Maki & Oosterveer, Peter J.M., 2023. "Signs of agricultural sustainability: A global assessment of sustainability governance initiatives and their indicators in crop farming," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    12. Marta López Cifuentes & Christian Reinhard Vogl & Mamen Cuéllar Padilla, 2018. "Participatory Guarantee Systems in Spain: Motivations, Achievements, Challenges and Opportunities for Improvement Based on Three Case Studies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-25, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sonja Kaufmann & Nikolaus Hruschka & Christian R. Vogl, 2020. "Bridging the Literature Gap: A Framework for Assessing Actor Participation in Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-26, October.
    2. Wing-Fung Lo & Li-Pei Peng, 2025. "Synergistic effect of relational values in a participatory guarantee system: a case study of an ecoagriculture initiative in Taiwan," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 42(2), pages 803-824, June.
    3. Dinis, Isabel & Ortolani, Livia & Bocci, Riccardo & Brites, Cláudia, 2015. "Organic agriculture values and practices in Portugal and Italy," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 39-45.
    4. Sonja Kaufmann & Nikolaus Hruschka & Luis Vildozo & Christian R. Vogl, 2023. "Alternative Food Networks in Latin America—exploring PGS (Participatory Guarantee Systems) markets and their consumers: a cross-country comparison," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 40(1), pages 193-216, March.
    5. Mamen Cuéllar-Padilla & Isabel Haro-Pérez & Mirene Begiristain-Zubillaga, 2022. "Participatory Guarantee Systems: When People Want to Take Part," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-18, March.
    6. Hanna Górska-Warsewicz & Sylwia Żakowska-Biemans & Dagmara Stangierska & Monika Świątkowska & Agnieszka Bobola & Julita Szlachciuk & Maksymilian Czeczotko & Karol Krajewski & Ewa Świstak, 2021. "Factors Limiting the Development of the Organic Food Sector—Perspective of Processors, Distributors, and Retailers," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-22, September.
    7. Nathalie Binder & Christian Reinhard Vogl, 2018. "Participatory Guarantee Systems in Peru: Two Case Studies in Lima and Apurímac and the Role of Capacity Building in the Food Chain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-21, December.
    8. Seufert, Verena & Ramankutty, Navin & Mayerhofer, Tabea, 2017. "What is this thing called organic? – How organic farming is codified in regulations," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 10-20.
    9. Livia Marchetti & Valentina Cattivelli & Claudia Cocozza & Fabio Salbitano & Marco Marchetti, 2020. "Beyond Sustainability in Food Systems: Perspectives from Agroecology and Social Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-24, September.
    10. Sini Forssell & Leena Lankoski, 2015. "The sustainability promise of alternative food networks: an examination through “alternative” characteristics," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 32(1), pages 63-75, March.
    11. Dalal Aassouli & Ayodele Akande & Ray Jureidini, 2023. "Comparative Analysis of Sustainable Food Governance and the Alignment of Food Security Policies to Sustainable Development: A Case Study of OIC Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-27, November.
    12. Philippe Fleury & Larry Lev & Hélène Brives & Carole Chazoule & Mathieu Désolé, 2016. "Developing Mid-Tier Supply Chains (France) and Values-Based Food Supply Chains (USA): A Comparison of Motivations, Achievements, Barriers and Limitations," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 6(3), pages 1-13, August.
    13. Daniel Jaffee, 2010. "Fair Trade Standards, Corporate Participation, and Social Movement Responses in the United States," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 92(2), pages 267-285, April.
    14. David Lind & Elizabeth Barham, 2004. "The social life of the tortilla: Food, cultural politics, and contested commodification," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 21(1), pages 47-60, March.
    15. Alessandra Arcuri, 2015. "The Transformation of organic regulation: The ambiguous effects of publicization," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 9(2), pages 144-159, June.
    16. Michael Carolan, 2006. "Social change and the adoption and adaptation of knowledge claims: Whose truth do you trust in regard to sustainable agriculture?," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 23(3), pages 325-339, October.
    17. repec:ags:ijaeri:334605 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Dan Wang & Ming Lei & Xuerong Xu, 2025. "Green production willingness and behavior: evidence from Shaanxi apple growers," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(7), pages 16615-16636, July.
    19. Tara Maireid Conway, 2025. "The role of intermediaries in transitions to agroecology in the Upper Midwest," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 42(3), pages 2151-2169, September.
    20. Prasoon Dwivedi & Alka Dwivedi & Rupesh Kumar & Aditi Khanduri, 2023. "Development communication for diffusion of innovation: a case study of Ramgaad mini-hydro project in India," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(10), pages 11699-11722, October.
    21. Diana Mincyte & Karin Dobernig, 2016. "Urban farming in the North American metropolis: Rethinking work and distance in alternative food networks," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 48(9), pages 1767-1786, September.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:agrhuv:v:42:y:2025:i:2:d:10.1007_s10460-024-10656-2. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.