FEIRA DE SABERES E SABORES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FEIRA DE SANTANA

a popular and solidarity economy network or a simple consumer market

Abstract

The Feira de Saberes e Sabores of the State University of Feira de Santana (UEFS) was born from a Popular and Solidarity Economy project in the process of being incubated by the UEFS Popular and Solidarity Economy Initiatives Incubator. One of its main attributes has been to think of itself in a collective and self-managed way, in the perspective of being a Popular and Solidarity Economy Network that brings together participating partners, and not a simple consumer market. In this sense, we aim to reflect on the Sabres e Sabores Fair, considering that it is a network that expands in the various dimensions of the Popular and Solidarity Economy, but that, at the same time, is permeated by the possibilities of direct and simple submission to the market. Methodologically, we used the precepts of action research, and prepared an interview script from which the analyzed data were extracted. During the analysis, some categories were worked on as a priority, such as basic information on pricing, coexistence rules, as well as understanding the organicity between those who produce, those who consume and those who produce/consume. We conclude that all those involved in the UEFS Knowledge and Flavors Fair are marketers or potential marketers who have formed a social identity that is committed and aware of consumption. This public makes it possible to experiment with a new exchange format, production of existence and creation of local social value based on the use of current free technologies. In this way, they articulate and improve collective relations, sometimes conflicting in terms of the market, but resistant, associative, community and solidary.