Incorporation of the agroecological approach in productive systems of La Plata and neighboring territories

Abstract

Over the last decade, the agro-ecological approach has become relevant on the agenda of public agencies for the generation and transfer of agricultural technology, in response to the claims of society about the effects of the hegemonic agro-industrial model on the environment and public health. However, it is not known to what extent this approach has been adopted by producers. The aim of this study is to find out how agroecology has spread in the production systems of a territory near the National University of La Plata. We worked with a qualitative methodology based on interviews with key informants. We identified two territories, one of an intensive nature with a predominance of horticultural production and the other extensive, based on livestock production. In the zones where horticultural production predominates, agroecology has grown in the last five years, encouraged by producer organisations and institutions committed to the issue. In these cases, despite the different visions of the producer organisations, we found similar processes of conversion to agroecology related to the change of model, applied practices, difficulties in the process and commercialisation through differentiated channels. Regarding to the extensive production territories, we identified a lesser development of agroecology, restricted to a few experiences with differences between them based on their membership of organisations, objectives and development of the agroecological proposal.