Social policy and environment in Brazil: Why does community-supported agriculture matter?

Abstract

Recent political measures in Brazil, in conjunction with new environmental policies, could reverse previous achievements that had put the country at the forefront of social policy making. This article discusses the implications of Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) for social policy. It is based on qualitative methods, namely, semi-structured interviews with subscribers from six administrative regions who participated through digital platforms. The results indicate that the factors determining consumer participation in CSA are health impact, strengthening local production, environmental concerns, and eating as a human right and political act. This article also demonstrates the need to promote participation among low-income and socially vulnerable families in CSA and to firmly connect food and nutrition security policy with health, and environment aimed at poverty alleviation. The novelty of this research lies in its consideration of the implications of CSA for environmental preservation and the promotion of a healthier and sustainable food system, namely for the low-income population, which can lead to the growth of eco-social policies in developing welfare states in the global south.