Territorial Changes Around Biodiesel: A Case Study of North-Western Argentina

Abstract

As part of a recent global agrofuel boom, Argentina became one of the leading producers and exporters of biodiesel. To understand the socioecological implication of this growth, the first chapter considers the national context by exploring the legal framework and agrofuels initiatives. It then focuses on the territorial changes that occurred in north-western Argentina through a case study on the local impacts of the agroindustry. The research shows that biodiesel production in the north-western province of Santiago del Estero is associated with the expansion of monocropping and pesticides, forest destruction, the risk of water pollution and the appropriation of common goods. These processes contribute to the deterioration of the material basis of peasants and local communities and affect the ecological distribution of environmental costs. The research also shows that territorial changes involve symbolic dimensions that are connected to environmental appropriation as part of the process of accumulation.