The Contradictions of the Neoliberal Global Agri-Food System

That agriculture and food is a socially, politically, and economically important sector is difficult to deny. A country’s socio-economic and political stability, its well-being, economic growth, and national security all depend upon the existence of a viable agri-food industry. Equally important is that agri-food is one of the most globalized sectors and that its globalization and concomitant economic liberalization have engendered the production of an enormous quantity of food. This production has allowed some observers to claim that the modernist goal of producing abundant and affordable food for the urban masses has been achieved. Simultaneously, however, this economic growth and the sector’s equally relevant ability to produce large quantities of food have engendered a host of significant problems, including the contamination of the environment, the unsustainable use of natural resources, the enhanced exploitation of labor, and the crisis of rural communities. These and related issues are the foci of the...