Short Commercialization Circuits: Contributions and challenges for the strengthening of Family Farming

Abstract

Short circuits of commercialization (CCC), especially open markets, government purchases and networks of producers and consumers, have the potential to strengthen Family Agriculture, especially those that produce following the guidelines of alternative agriculture. In this sense, this paper analyzes the contributions and challenges of these types of marketing that providesmore direct relationships between producer and consumer, in addition to reciprocity, bonds of trust, food and nutrition security and qualifies social agents in accessing public policies. The objective was to analyze the contributions and challenges of the CCCs for the strengthening of Family Agriculture in Brazil and in the world. The methodology approached was the bibliographical research, about the CCC and its fundamental bases. Having as object of study the modalities of CCC: open fairs, producer and consumer networks and government purchases. The main topics were: (i) short circuits and their potential as a marketing strategy for family farming; (ii) food and nutrition security in the context of short commercialization circuits; and (iii) short sales circuits in the world; initiatives, challenges and similarities. It is possible to state that the CCCs are distributed in several countries around the world, maintaining similarities in terms of challenges and organizations. The CCCs have been strengthening Family Agriculture with access to markets, but it is deficient in public policies. The CCCs, in addition to contributions to income generation, enable the establishment of improvements in food and nutrition security, strengthen organizational processes and promote development in different ways beyond economic growth.