Countering chestnut farming abandonment in the Sierra de Aracena (Spain): options of an agroecological transformation of the value chain

Traditional chestnut farming in the Sierra de Aracena, Spain, is threatened by land abandonment driven by its declining profitability within the prevailing global agrifood paradigm. An agroecological transformation of the chestnut value chain (VC) is seen by community stakeholders as a pathway to ensure its economic viability while maintaining social and environmental sustainability. This research aimed to co-create actionable knowledge with stakeholders by analyzing the VC’s actor network, governance mechanisms and power dynamics, to identify barriers and leverage points supporting an agroecological transformation. Field work including in-depth interviews, participatory mapping, and an analysis of monetary value distribution along the chain, served to map the VC and identify 15 barriers and 14 leverage points for agroecological transformation. Barriers were mostly found in the Long Food Supply Chains (LFSCs) and included hierarchical governance, marked power imbalances, and distributive unfairness toward farmers, unlike shorter ones. Yet LFSCs were found to be important due to limited local chestnut consumption and concentrated production areas. Therefore, many leverage points target LFSC’s functioning, and range from producer cooperation to shifting governance to prioritize social-ecological goals. Our findings provide a foundation for knowledge co-producers can use to navigate change and develop strategies to safeguard this invaluable traditional system.