Diffusion of Brazil’s food policies in international organisations: assessing the processes of knowledge framing

Abstract

This article focuses on the political dynamics shaping policy agendas and prescriptions in international organisations (IOs). It elucidates the interactions of Brazil's state and non-state actors with international bureaucrats, and their role in framing the strategy and recommendations promoted by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and Portuguese-speaking Community of Countries regarding the challenge of tackling food insecurity. The research builds on semi-structured interviews and a significant number of institutional documents, and combines constructivist international relations theory and sociological approaches to policy transfer/ diffusion to explore the circulatory processes of policymaking. Aside from enhancing understanding of the micro-dynamics of framing and diffusion of policy ideas and prescriptions in IOs, the article provides information on the dissemination of policy solutions from the global south towards IOs and subsequently, to other developing countries.

Actors and dynamics of a policy transfer network

“…In the case of the FNS agenda, Brazil advocated in favor of forming a global network to fight hunger (Fraundorfer, 2013), where non-governmental actors would combine efforts with state actors gaining thus formal access to international organizations such as the FAO and CPLP. In this context, the principle of social participation was highlighted as an element to be diffused internationally, among other elements related to policies for family farming advocated by the Brazilian policy network (Milhorance, 2020). BJIR, Marília, v. 10, n. 3, p. 526-554, set./dez.…”

Southern middle powers and the liberal international order: The options for Brazil and South Africa

“…81 More recently, the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic has been seen as catastrophic and lacking any meaningful leadership because of Bolsonaro's denialism and refusal to disrupt the functioning of open markets. 82 Economic pragmatism, however, has also worked to constrain Bolsonaro's anti-globalism as Brazilian diplomacy has promoted policymaking norms in fora like the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), 83 and the current government has faced the need to defend the economic gains made in such areas, especially if these have been understood to align with Brazil's exporting and importing food policies.…”

Transnational circuits of policy knowledge and discursive migration. The formation and transformation of planning policies in Argentina

“…This literature has allowed us to overcome the consideration of the Global North as the only reference from which policy solutions emanate (Porto De Oliveira et al, 2019). Latin American researchers have been particularly prolific in this regard, like Osorio Gonnet (2015) in Chile; Milhorance (2014, 2016, 2018, 2020) in Brasil; Montero (2017a, b, c) and Silva Ardila (2020) in Colombia and, from Mexico, Pacheco Vega (2012). However, in spite of this profusion, the North continues to be looked at when it comes to valuing intellectual authority and professional expertise, legitimating normative standards, identifying key notions and selecting transferable policy models (Dezalay and Garth, 2002; Friedmann, 2011).…”