Two associative experiences of agroecological horticulturists in Mar del Plata

Abstract

This study seeks to explore the associative strategies of two cases of agroecological producers in Mar del Plata territories in the district of General Pueyrredon (Buenos Aires). This research, part of a doctoral process by one of the authors, aim to consolidate a theoretical framework to interpret the producers` strategies: notions such as agroecology (understood as a science, a practice and a social movement), associative (as a key form of organization) and multi-territoriality (the coexistence of diverse uses and appropriations of space).

The fieldwork explores two association experiences between actors, focusing on its organization, access to material factors such as land ownership, financing, state support, and communication among members of the informal society or cooperative. The study shows that both informal and formal organizational associations are territorialization strategies that seek to consolidate an alternative space within a context dominated by conventional agriculture. While the informal society manages to integrate itself through its activities within the neighbourhood, the cooperative, due to its formality, gains access to external resources when there are policies related to promoting agroecology or family farming. This underscores the importance of organizational structures and public policies for the future of agroecology.