Agribusiness, actors and territory: the population opinion of the agricultural localities of the province of Buenos Aires (Argentina, 2022)

Abstract

The expansion of agribusiness in the Argentine Pampas region has generated important economic, social and environmental consequences, particularly affecting agrarian localities, those local spaces linked to agro-exports. In this context, it is relevant to investigate how the inhabitants of these localities understand agricultural activity and its territorial impacts. Based on the data constructed through an online survey carried out in the province of Buenos Aires (main productive region of Argentina), we identified, firstly, that the inhabitants of agricultural localities define these spaces by their particular forms of sociability, and participate in cultural practices linked to rural life. Secondly, we find that they consider agribusiness as the main generator of employment in the territories but do not identify the “spillover” of the sector's profits in the communities. Thirdly, we see that they have a fairly positive image of producers and do not identify agricultural activity as the cause of the main local problems, but there is a majority view of its polluting impacts. And, finally, we identify the influence on opinions of certain discursive topics present in the public debate on agriculture and, mainly, of the political position.