FOOD SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELL-BEING WITHIN AN ALTERNATIVE FOOD NETWORK

Abstract

This thesis investigates the urban Alternative Food Networks (AFNs) from the dialogue of the literature with the case study of the Association of Agriculture of Campinas and Region (ANC), a Brazilian urban AFN. The investigation seeks to answer whether ANC can be a response to the Anthropocene at local level by contributing to mitigating the environmental degradation caused by agro-industrial production. Objectives are the identification and the analysis of the obstacles and benefits of urban AFNs. The methodology had as theoretical field the discussion about environmental degradation and in the empirical field, qualitative research with members of the ANC, followed by the discussion of the results. The work concludes that the ANC needs to understand the hegemonic food context in which it is inserted, enabling it to disseminate values and practices that enables a deep paradigmatic review.