Based on the Sectoral Report on agriculture in Argentina, we have identified that the dominant pathway is industrial agriculture focused in grain production, in which currently the cultivation of GM soy dominates.
The report reviews the literature that mentions both positive and negative aspects of this specialization. Among the former, there are large economic benefits, a technology package easy to use, the development of nearby industries such as agricultural machinery, among others. While in the latter, adverse effects were detected: a trend towards a monoculture, a reduction in biodiversity, economic and knowledge concentration, health problems, access and use of water, among others.
For these reasons, these side effects that have already been noted by several analysts suggest that the current production system is not sustainable. And by way of providing knowledge about experiences that are traveling alternative pathways that respond to the challenges of the dominant one, we are investigating in detail the following types of cases:
• Path Breaking: Cases where there is a break with the dominant system.
o Coopsol: a cooperative dedicated to honey production in the province of Santiago del Estero, which exports conventional and certified organic honey, and also has certified as Fair Trade.
o Cooperativa Agroecológica del Litoral: A cooperative of cotton producers, implementing agroecological techniques in their production process. They also have a fair trade certification.
• Path Repairing: A case where some of the challenges of the dominant pathway are faced, but without changing the prevailing system: We are studying the Agricultores Federados Argentinos Cooperative.
• Path Creating: A case in which the benefits from the dominant production system opened new possibilities in other industries: Specifically, we are studying firms in the seed industry in Argentina.
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