Mercados, redes sociais e território: o caso da Feira Orgânica do Rio da Prata-RJ

Abstract

The present research aims to understand the social construction of the Organic Fair of Rio da Prata, located in the west zone of the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, in a contextualized way with the actions in the midst of networks of political mobilization and associations of farmers. We seek to understand how this market reflects the strategies of resistance of small agricultural production found on the slopes of the Rio da Prata, in the Massif da Pedra Branca, in the face of an invisibility of agriculture in the West Zone of the city. The fair allows us to think about the meanings and representations that are projected on the territory, from the perspective of local actors. With a focus on social relations, it is discussed the insertion of small producers in Rio da Prata in organic and agroecological markets; and the actors involved in the construction and expansion of these markets in Rio de Janeiro. Access to these markets and the political articulation of farmers, through social networks, institutions, social movements and non-governmental organizations, have contributed to their growing notoriety. In this way, they became spokespersons for other producers in the region. And based on their experiences at fairs in the south and west of the city, they created the Organic Fair of the Rio da Prata, within the limits of the largest urban conservation unit in the world. By reconstituting the process of creating the aforementioned fair, in a manner related to the actions developed in the midst of social networks, we can understand it as a strategy of resistance of family farming and a way of facing invisibility, projecting a representation of agricultural territory in space, combined with the preservation of the environment. The methods used involve participant observation in the fair's activities, festivities and other forums, in addition to semi-structured oral interviews with those involved. Also included are materials produced by the group and articles published in academic journals, newspapers and magazines with wide circulation. Finally, bibliographic references favored topics such as organic markets, agroecology, social networks, family farming, peasantry, territory and resistance.