Women’s associations in Cotopaxi, Ecuador: from rights to agroecological markets

ABSTRACT

Smallholder, indigenous farmers play a key role in the food system in Ecuador, applying traditional farming practices that ensure the sustainability of their food production and meeting the dietary demands of many urban consumers, especially for organic vegetables and dairy products. This study examines the position of six women’s associations in the central Ecuadorian Andes, discussing their evolution from rights-based to market-oriented organizations producing and selling agroecological products. We discuss how the history of these associations has led them to play a role in local politics and national policies around agriculture and highlight how these organizations have succeeded both economically and socially, while also noting the challenges they face, as observed by themselves and outsiders. While the history of women’s agroecological production organizations in Ecuador may be unique, as it is entrenched in indigenous rights movements, our results also point to opportunities and obstacles that are more common across small scale farmers and deserve attention from both policymakers and agricultural organizations.

KEYWORDS:

• Collective action
• farmers’ associations
• smallholder
• rural development

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS:

• SDG 5: Gender equality

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the McKnight Foundation and the Swift Foundation for financing this research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. As defined by the European Association of Agroecology, “Agroecology…as a practice is based on sustainable use of local renewable resources, local farmers’ knowledge and priorities, wise use of biodiversity to provide ecosystem services and resilience, and solutions that provide multiple benefits (environmental, economic, social) from local to global. As a movement, it defends smallholders and family farming, farmers and rural communities, food sovereignty, local and short food supply chains, diversity of indigenous seeds and breeds, healthy and quality food” (FAO 2016). The understanding of agroecology in the Global South including Latin America has a similar understanding of agroecology that focuses on sustainable production but with a stronger focus on smallholders as key actors in “agricultural innovation and rural development” (Brescia 2023).

2. These are certainly not the only women’s agricultural producer’s groups in Ecuador that have had success in agroecological marketing. Other groups that have received attention include the Biovida Network in Cayambe in the northern highlands; the “from the farm to the table” Biofarms Fair in Tungurahua in the central highlands; and the Austro AE Network in Cuenca in the southern highlands (Chauveau and Carchi 2010; Carvajal and Yacelga 2020; Quillupnagui 2020; Proañoand Lacroix 2013).

3. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most of these interviews were conducted by telephone, though several were arranged before closures. As the interviews were conducted over the phone, the participants gave their consent to participate verbally.

4. All six associations have scheduled weekly sales days in markets in the cities of Salcedo and Latacunga (about 30–45 minutes travel time for the association members). Some also sell in smaller local markets or regional events.

5. Sello de Agricultura Familiar Campesina in Spanish.

6. Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería in Spanish.

7. The FFA seal was formally launched in 2017 at a national level, having been one of the country’s official commitments for the International Year of Family Farming in 2014 and to highlight the importance of the smallholders in food production in Ecuador (MAG 2017, 2018)

8. Refer to AVSF (2014) for more details on the FFA seal.

9. Sistemas Participativos de Garantía (SPG) in Spanish.

10. Planes de Desarollo y Ordenamiento Territorial in Spanish.

11. Gobiernos Autónomos Descentralizados in Spanish.

12. Federación de Mujeres Indígenas y Campesinas de Mulalillo.

13. Ministerio de Inclusión Económica y Social in Spanish.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the McKnight Foundation Swift Foundation.