Adaptive farm management in the context of the expansion of industrial tree plantations in northern Argentina

CARIOLA SZUCHMAN, LUCÍA; ANTONIO DE LA PEÑA; NORMA INES HILGERT

LAND USE POLICY

PERGAMON

Año: 2020

0264-8377

Landscape reconversion by plantation-oriented forestry is associated with transformations inregional economic systems. Under such change, rural communities develop differentenvironmental and economic management strategies. Due to forest plantation growth since the1970´s in Misiones, Argentina, different areas of production can be identified according to theintensity of the forestry management model carried out. Each area defines a forestry productivelandscape in which local rural populations are immersed. In this study, we describe and analysethe agricultural production strategies of Colonos (settlers) according to the size of industrial treeplantations. We offer insights into the construction of an adaptive, agrobiodiverse strategy in thecontext of the dominant forestry industry. Considering historical processes and current land use,we expected to find less diversity and overall development of the family productive system amongrural families living in more homogenized, plantation-dominated landscapes. Qualitative andquantitative data was gathered to assess the agricultural richness and producers´ related productionmanagement. Departing from the idea that the homogenization of the landscape diminishes thediversification of the family productive system, we found that families have been able to shape thecomponents of their subsistence in complex environments. In other words, in the face of changeand instability, Colono farmers were able to reconfigure and incorporate diverse agriculturalstrategies. Also, they engage in biologically diverse farming systems and provide ecologicalheterogeneity to a regional landscape deeply transformed by tree plantations.