Political architectures in the municipality of Varre-Sai (Brazil): For sustainabilities in 'specialty coffees' production management

Abstract

The coffee cultivation has historically had great importance in Rio de Janeiro's social-spatial organization, and it is once again in the spotlight of the state's economic scenario. The novelty is that the local production has been renewed, and, now, the state surpasses the old status of 'low-quality coffee producer' and achieves the 'specialty coffee' market which, in addition to quality, also values environmental, social and economic sustainabilities 1. This change has caused a series of transformations in the social-spatial and economic realities of some municipalities in the state of Rio de Janeiro. This article analyses the possible sustainabilities existing in the production process of this new coffee profile, based on the reality of the municipality of Varre-Sai, located in the northwest of Rio de Janeiro state. The objective is to find out the main actors and to elucidate the political network involved in this process.