Environmental winners and loosers in Argentina's soybean boom.

CÁCERES D; SILVETTI F ; DÍAZ S; S CALVO ; F QUÉTIER

Applying Ecological Knowledge to Landuse Decissions.

IAI - SCOPE

Lugar: Sao Paulo, Brasil; Año: 2009; p. 65 - 72

<!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> Land-use change policies should strive to generate win-win configurations, where economic viability for some does not come at an environmental cost for others. In spite of being associated with poor peasants, recent developments (e.g., Naturaleza Viva) in the Reconquista area have shown that the alternative agro-ecological model can be economically viable, generating income and employment as well as environmental benefits. Options for win-win land-use configurations are perhaps more feasible in the Paraná floodplain and the Cuña boscosa plains which have been less impacted by agricultural intensification and landscape homogenization. However, it is also possible to envisage win-win configurations in the Domo Oriental by increasing the share of the alternative agro-ecological model in that area. Many people in the Reconquista area have maintained an intimate knowledge of its ecosystems. This makes the development of win-win configurations based on this alternative model still possible, given adequate institutional support. Institutional support is what is most lacking for the expansion of the alternative model in the region and in Argentina in general. Fostering the development of new, locally embedded institutions (such as the ADR) could help, but only if they can operate in a broader institutional context that can accept an integrated vision of land-based resources (environmental, productive and social) and that shares equity goals. Developing such a context requires an active participation from national, provincial and local levels of government.