Ecological degradation, pressures on social reproduction, exploitation and the concentration of political power are examined as interconnected features of the global agri-food system in this research article by Cristina Laurenti. Published in Capitalism Nature Socialism in July 2026, the analysis applies philosopher Nancy Fraser’s theory of “cannibal capitalism” to explore how capitalist social relations shape agriculture and food systems, and how feminist agroecology responds to these dynamics.

The article conceptualizes feminist agroecology as a “boundary struggle” operating across four interconnected dimensions: ecological conditions, social reproduction, exploitation and expropriation, and political power. From this perspective, agroecology involves not only changing agricultural practices but also examining the organization of labour, care, resources and decision-making within food systems. The analysis argues that tensions arise when practices centred on collective reproduction and ecological regeneration encounter economic structures organized around commodification, competition and capital accumulation.

Rather than presenting feminist agroecology primarily as an approach for reforming agricultural sustainability, the author considers its implications for broader transformations in economic and political relations. Particular attention is given to decommodification and democratic governance as features of this perspective. The article contributes a theoretical and political-economy analysis to debates on agroecology, highlighting how gender, social reproduction, ecological conditions and power relations can be considered together when examining pathways towards food-system transformation.