The cooperation dilemma: can agricultural cooperatives sustainably survive in a globalised food system while contributing to food security

TY - CHAP

T1 - The cooperation dilemma

T2 - can agricultural cooperatives sustainably survive in a globalised food system while contributing to food security

AU - Ajates, Raquel

N1 - Copyright: © Martin Caraher, John Coveney and Mickey Chopra 2023.

PY - 2023/8/15

Y1 - 2023/8/15

N2 - This chapter explores, analysing the case of Spain, the often-held assumption that a strong agricultural cooperative sector in a country correlates with robust food security. The Mediterranean country has a strong agricultural cooperative sector, being one of the top co-operators in farming in Europe. Spain is consistently ranked as the second country in terms of the number of agricultural cooperatives and the third in terms of members and employees. Data on both the agricultural cooperative sector and on food insecurity levels in Spain are presented and discussed. The findings indicate a tension between cooperative principles and the market pressures these farmers’ organisations face to survive in a globalised food system, in a context of rural depopulation and raising production and distribution costs. These tensions raise complex questions on the ability of agricultural cooperatives to contribute to food security and sustainability, such as: food security, a global or national endeavour? Security for consumers or for producers? These tensions are explored, alongside a reflection on the different types of agricultural cooperative models and the socio-economic and environmental impacts of their structure, growth models and activities. Particular attention is paid to multi-stakeholder cooperatives, communal land use cooperatives and micro-cooperatives in the context of food security and sustainability. The chapter ends with some conclusions and policy recommendations.

AB - This chapter explores, analysing the case of Spain, the often-held assumption that a strong agricultural cooperative sector in a country correlates with robust food security. The Mediterranean country has a strong agricultural cooperative sector, being one of the top co-operators in farming in Europe. Spain is consistently ranked as the second country in terms of the number of agricultural cooperatives and the third in terms of members and employees. Data on both the agricultural cooperative sector and on food insecurity levels in Spain are presented and discussed. The findings indicate a tension between cooperative principles and the market pressures these farmers’ organisations face to survive in a globalised food system, in a context of rural depopulation and raising production and distribution costs. These tensions raise complex questions on the ability of agricultural cooperatives to contribute to food security and sustainability, such as: food security, a global or national endeavour? Security for consumers or for producers? These tensions are explored, alongside a reflection on the different types of agricultural cooperative models and the socio-economic and environmental impacts of their structure, growth models and activities. Particular attention is paid to multi-stakeholder cooperatives, communal land use cooperatives and micro-cooperatives in the context of food security and sustainability. The chapter ends with some conclusions and policy recommendations.

KW - Agricultural cooperatives

KW - Spain

KW - Food security

KW - Sustainable food systems

KW - Food exports

KW - Multi-stakeholder cooperatives

KW - Communal land use cooperatives

KW - Micro-cooperatives

U2 - 10.4337/9781800378445.00036

DO - 10.4337/9781800378445.00036

M3 - Chapter (peer-reviewed)

SN - 9781800378438

SP - 311

EP - 323

BT - Handbook of Food Security and Society

A2 - Caraher, Martin

A2 - Coveney, John

A2 - Chopra, Mickey

PB - Edward Elgar Publishing

CY - Cheltenham

ER -