Short food supply chain and control mechanisms in organic agriculture

analyzing the potential for the development of agroecological green belts

Abstract

The current food system is characterized by several negative externalities such as socio-environmental crisis and food-safety problems. In this context, forms of food production like agroecology and organic farming are growing. In Brazil the Social Control Organizations (OCS) regulation is allowing direct sale of products from family farming. Few studies have been done about the potential of OCS to develop short food supply chains of spatial proximity. Taking as theoretical focus the short food supply chains, it was analyzed the forms of institutionalized organic in Brazil with focus on the potential of OCS in supporting agroecological green belts development. Through mapping the data from the National Register of Organic Producers, an increase in the number of regularized producers and farms and a higher concentration of OCS producers around highly populated urban centres has been observed. Finally, the data analysis suggests that OCS support agroecological green belts development and their growth could facilitate the access to organic food and increase social and environmental benefits to urban areas.