Domination and Power Relations in Brazilian Agriculture: A Gender Analysis of the Concept of Adequate Food

The main subject of this paper is the concept of adequate food defined by the Brazilian Law No 11.346/06, whose implications are discussed through a gender – especially ecofeminist – lens. The Law defines the right to food that is also considered a fundamental right in the Brazilian Constitution. At the same time, the Brazilian economy is centered on crops production in a large-scale farming system for exportation. Based on that, the following question is addressed: is the concept of adequate food compatible with the economic privilege attributed to the massive agricultural system and to factory farms? The aim is to show that they are incompatible and the alternative is a defense of organic family farming and a plant-based diet, as it is presented in the  “Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population” (2014). Another problem that arises from this issue is that agriculture in this large-scale dimension reflects structures of power and domination (Karen J. Warren) and animals used for corpse eating disappears, becoming absent referents (Carol J. Adams). It reflects the structure of a patriarchal society, where men have power over women, animals, and plants. The hypothesis is that in family farming women can participate more in the decision-making process, reflecting equality and justice in the private sphere. For that, the Special Reports on adequate food will be considered, mainly the one related to the mission of the Special Rapporteur to Brazil, whose analysis brings information on the gender category. This analysis draws attention to the situation of women in their struggles to fulfill the right to adequate food.