Dignity and Just Prices: the Moral Economies of Farming in the Age of Agro-industry

Abstract

The hegemonic agro-food system currently dominant in Spain and other European countries challenges farmers livelihoods. This paper addresses farmers (un)sustainabilities from a moral economy perspective, focusing on discussions about just prices. We argue that it is important to consider the historical perspective of food systems from a political economy point of view and to examine tensions and clashes between values and norms through the notion of moral economy. We analyse these perspectives through various case studies in different Spanish regions: farmers in Galicia, viticulturists in El Penedes and alternative provisioning systems in Catalonia. Furthermore, we combine the moral economy perspective with feminist and eco-feminist contributions that help us to understand one of farmers most common demands: just prices that guarantee livelihoods and dignity. This paper also deals with the ambivalent role of the state as a price regulator and with farmers aspirations of autonomy from the market and the state. The global health crisis caused by COVID-19 during the first half of 2020 stresses the need to continue exploring the (un)sustainabilities of our hegemonic agro-food system and the potentialities and limitations of counter-hegemonic food provisioning systems that try to build alternative food paths.