A certificação na construção contra-hegemônica do mercado de produtos Demeter: a Agricultura Biodinâmica sob a égide da legalidade

Abstract

When Justus von Liebig sought to claim the scientific lens on the natural processes of agriculture, he introduced a new way of thinking and doing agriculture, and through this advent of chemical agriculture the process of fixing the nitrogen engendered in the HaberBosch process brought about substantial changes both for agricultural land and for battlefields that undermined the first half of the 20th century in Europe. Nowadays, with food trends that are increasingly concerned with the socio-environmental issues that permeate the production process, we can glimpse the decay of hegemonic models of food production. Biodynamic agriculture, a precursor of the organic movement, was introduced to the world for the first time by the agricultural course taught by Rudolf Steiner in 1924. However, his extemporaneous wisdom is biased towards crossing the challenges imposed by the modernity model of progress, through agriculture committed to sustainable practices. To this end, the present work goals to understand the certification process of Biodynamic products that carry the Demeter seal, apprehending the perception of the agents involved with the Biodynamic movement as well as the factors that build this market. Qualitative and quantitative data were used, as well as research was carried out: bibliographic; bibliometric; documentary. The tools used in the field to obtain data were semi-structured interviews and questionnaires with open and closed questions. The sample units were biodynamic agricultural units and institutions linked to the certification process. After obtaining the data, the information obtained was triangulated to achieve the objectives. It was learned about the history and conjuncture of the Biodynamic movement in Brazil, as well as the perception of the actors regarding the certification process and the different faces of the two certification systems, the audit and the participatory system, where limiting and positive points of each one were pointed out. systems. The perception of these agents regarding the domestic market for Biodynamic products and the profile of those who consume these products was also raised. Subsequently, the impressions were compared with the quantitative data of the questionnaires that sought to build a socioeconomic profile of consumers. These data were also compared with the survey of food trends conducted by Brasil Food Trends 2020 and the survey conducted with consumers of organic products from Organis Brasil. Thus, issues related to the Brazilian market for organic products and the legitimacy surrounding the act of consumption related to these products were explained. Finally, there was a demonstration of different views on the existence of Steiner's principles on the Demeter label, which ended up demonstrating the diversity of thoughts and conflicts inherent in the dispute that occurs within and outside the Biodynamic movement. Since the Biodynamic market is not isolated, but connected with economic interests that plague its roots.