Soy in the Gran Argentinian Chaco in the XXI Century

Abstract

In the last years Argentina became the number one worldwide exporter of soy and its byproducts. This meant that soy was acquiring a strong importance in the economy of this country, favoured by ecological conditions, technical innovations and by the commercial circumstances which allowed the exportation to many countries. However, the different economic enterprises that involves the production of this crop, induced that it´s own activities gained characteristics of “excess” and “deregulation”. According to David Harvey, this productive model has been built like a case of accumulation by dispossession, which was designed to respond to a capitalist logic that combines “global order, international division of work and worldwide market”. Consequently, this article searches to prove how the currently soy model in the Gran Argentinian Chaco has been a relatively short period and spatially extended process in the region, provoking dangerous impacts to the zone. The development of the soy production will be analyzed from 2000 to nowadays (2017) in the GranArgentinian Chaco. First, we will describe and characterize the mentioned region. Then, we will examine the causes of its expansion to the Northwest. Finally, we will show the social-economic and environmental effects of its implementation.