Agricultural Cooperatives, Agroecological and Collective Capabilities: Governance Pathways for Territorial Food Systems in Santander, Colombia

Agricultural cooperatives and agroecological initiatives have gained increasing relevance in debates on sustainable food systems, rural livelihoods, and food security. This Policy Forum contribution analyzyes how agricultural cooperatives and agroecological initiatives support food security and rural livelihoods in Santander, Colombia, by examining governance dynamics, institutional conditions, and their implications for collective capabilities within territorial food systems. Drawing on a review of academic literature and policy documents, combined with qualitative evidence from interviews with policymakers, practitioners, and civil society actors, the article explores how cooperative initiatives contribute to market access, income stabilization, and urban-rural linkages, while also identifying key constraints to their scaling and sustainability. The findings highlight that fragmented governance arrangements and the absence of dedicated budgets constrain the effective implementation of agroecological and cooperative-oriented policies. These institutional barriers reduce farmer agency, their opportunity to participate in decision-making, and their collective capabilities. The article concludes that strengthening agroecological and cooperative-based systems requires dedicated public resources, participatory governance, and their integration into public procurement mechanisms.