Relational, cognitive, and structural social capital in shaping livelihood resilience in informal agri-food systems

Abstract

Introduction: Smallholder livelihoods in the Global South operate under persistent uncertainty shaped by price volatility, climate variability, and limited institutional protection. While informal agri-food systems are often framed as inefficient or transitional, their persistence raises questions about how coordination and resilience are sustained in the absence of formal governance structures. This study examines how the relational, cognitive, and structural dimensions of social capital interact to shape livelihood resilience. Methods: This study draws on qualitative research conducted in Enrekang, Indonesia, using in-depth interviews and field observations involving farmers, traders, and informal financial actors. A multi-actor livelihood analysis was applied to examine how social relations organize everyday economic practices. Results: The findings show that social capital operates as a coordinating infrastructure linking actors, resources, and practices. Trust-based relationships, shared understandings, and networked arrangements enable adaptive responses such as diversification, informal credit, and network-based market exchanges. These mechanisms sustain livelihood continuity under uncertainty. However, risks are unevenly distributed: farmers remain exposed to production and price risks, while traders and intermediaries absorb market and financial volatility. Discussion: These findings suggest that resilience reflects the capacity to maintain system function rather than reduce vulnerability. By reconceptualizing social capital as a dynamic and socially embedded coordination mechanism, this study contributes to debates on livelihood resilience and informality, showing that resilience is relationally mediated and shaped by unequal access to social networks and resources.

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