From individual seeds to collective harvests urban agroecology as political action
Planting the seeds of change” has been a widely-used metaphor underlining the possibilities for social transformation. But can planting a seed actually lead to political action? Can small-scale urban agriculture change the world? Many activists and political scientists argue that individual actions cannot change the food system. Although we agree that social change is based on collective actions, we cannot disqualify the power of conscious urban farmers. By compiling experiences from Mexico, we aim to explore how individual urban farming is an act of resistance. We describe the role of food as a “common ground” in which different political struggles intersect: food sovereignty, gender equality, decolonization, climate change activism, indigenous rights, or social justice. We also analyze what conditions could facilitate the transition for wider political change and collective action. By exemplifying how political involvement can take different forms outside of the traditional channels, we highlight how planting real seeds can reap not only ecological benefits, but a social revolution.
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Texto biblioteca |
| Language: | eng |
| Subjects: | Agroecología urbana, Acción colectiva, Cambio social, Sistemas alimentarios locales, Política agrícola, Artfrosur, |
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| Summary: | Planting the seeds of change” has been a widely-used metaphor underlining the possibilities for social transformation. But can planting a seed actually lead to political action? Can small-scale urban agriculture change the world? Many activists and political scientists argue that individual actions cannot change the food system. Although we agree that social change is based on collective actions, we cannot disqualify the power of conscious urban farmers. By compiling experiences from Mexico, we aim to explore how individual urban farming is an act of resistance. We describe the role of food as a “common ground” in which different political struggles intersect: food sovereignty, gender equality, decolonization, climate change activism, indigenous rights, or social justice. We also analyze what conditions could facilitate the transition for wider political change and collective action. By exemplifying how political involvement can take different forms outside of the traditional channels, we highlight how planting real seeds can reap not only ecological benefits, but a social revolution. |
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