The Legal (R)Evolution of Agroecology in Latin America

The thesis advances a central claim that food insecurity and climate-related natural disasters are not isolated phenomena but mutually reinforcing processes embedded within broader structural dynamics of contemporary agrifood systems. By positioning this nexus at the heart of the analysis, the work reframes food insecurity as a systemic issue shaped by environmental degradation, socio-economic inequality, and the dominant industrial agricultural model. Within this framework, agroecology is conceptualized not merely as a set of sustainable agricultural practices, but as a multidimensional paradigm that integrates ecological resilience, social justice, and political transformation. The thesis emphasizes its dual nature as both a technical and normative project, capable of addressing the root causes of vulnerability while reshaping power relations within food systems. Methodologically, the research adopts a triangulated approach that combines doctrinal legal analysis, comparative law, and documentary analysis. This allows the study to move beyond a purely formal reading of legal texts and instead situate legal developments within their broader socio-political and environmental contexts. The integration of disaster risk reduction concepts such as vulnerability, exposure, and resilience further strengthens the analytical depth, enabling a systemic evaluation of how legal frameworks respond to complex risks. Empirically, the thesis maps the evolution of agroecology within international law and governance and selected Latin American national frameworks. It identifies a heterogeneous landscape characterized by varying degrees of institutionalization. Some countries adopt reformist approaches that integrate agroecological elements into existing systems, while others pursue more transformative pathways that embed agroecology within constitutional, environmental, and human rights frameworks. A key finding is the gradual constitutionalization of agroecological principles, particularly through the recognition of the right to food, environmental protection, and biocultural heritage. At the same time, the research highlights significant divergences in how agroecology is defined, operationalized, and supported. These divergences reflect deeper political and institutional tensions, including competing models of development and differing levels of engagement with structural inequalities in agrarian systems. The thesis ultimately argues that law plays a necessary but inherently limited role in agroecological transitions. Legal frameworks can promote, prioritize, and protect agroecology, but they remain shaped by existing power relations and risk reducing agroecology’s transformative potential if translated too narrowly into technocratic or utilitarian terms. The challenge, therefore, lies in designing legal and policy instruments that can engage with the relational, dynamic, and context-specific nature of agroecology without diluting its political and ecological foundations. In conclusion, the work positions agroecology as both a legal and political horizon for transforming food systems in Latin America. However, it cautions that its future will depend less on formal legal recognition and more on the capacity of legal systems to support deeper structural change toward more just, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems.