FOOD GOVERNANCE AND RURAL REVITALIZATION: AN EMERGING DIALOGUE BETWEEN BRAZIL AND CHINA

Abstract

The present work aims to analyze, from a comparative perspective,two experiences that address contemporary challenges faced by rural territories inthe Global South: agroecology and food governance in Brazil, and the strategy ofrural revitalization in China. It seeks to understand how these frameworks—onebuilt from the bottom up, through peasant networks, social movements, andparticipatory policies, and the other structured from the top down, throughcomprehensive state guidelines—tackle common issues such as food insecurity,rural exodus, and environmental degradation. The method adopted is qualitativeand theoretical-reflective, based on a bibliographic and documentary review ofagroecology in Brazil and rural revitalization in China. The analysis draws oncritical perspectives from the Global South, particularly authors associated withthe Chinese New Rural Reconstruction Movement and the literature onagroecology, food sovereignty, and territorial development in Brazil. No empiricalfield methods were applied; instead, priority was given to interpretive comparisonof the sources consulted. The conclusions indicate that, although originating fromdistinct sociopolitical contexts, the two experiences converge in their emphasis onfamily/peasant farming, productive diversification, environmental preservation,and the centrality of local communities. Brazil highlights the strength of socialparticipation and short food supply chains, while China demonstrates the capacityof structuring public policies to transform the countryside on a national scale.Taken together, the cases suggest that integrating participatory and state-drivenapproaches can strengthen food governance and foster sustainable ruraldevelopment in the Global South.