Practices of care agrobiodiversity as a symbolic framework for environmental governance in the southern region of Tolima, Colombia

Abstract

The literature on agrobiodiversity examines in a broad way the interactions between plants and humans in farming biomes, and often includes the study of the governance of seeds as a genetic resource. This article turns its attention to agrobiodiversity as a mesh of manageable genetic resources in order to examine how the characteristics of agrobiodiversity symbolize a vision of future environmental governance. First reviewing the existing perspectives in political ecology on environmental governance and feminist ethics of care, the results of this study reveal that the established practices of «total care» of agrobiodiversity, in particular the exchange of seeds, vegetable gardens and kitchens, have become a symbolic framework for environmental governance in which Access to land, food and community cohesion are guaranteed and protected.