The Limits and Contradictions of Agricultural Technology in Latin America: Lessons from Mexico and Argentina

Abstract

Based on a collective research project designed to analyze the links between scientifijic and technological production, development and democracy in Latin America, this paper deals with the performance of the agrarian economy under conditions of scant internally generated technology. We begin by acknowledging that this resource has historically been imported. We frame the objective of analysis in terms of assessing its economic and social implications through an empirical approach to the process of technological difffusion. Two representative experiences of the agricultural structure are examined in the region, namely, peasant productive units in Mexico and capitalist enterprises on the Argentine plains. For the former, we look at the post-war era, examining the content of the technological package contained in the green revolution and its repercussions. In the latter case, we look at present-day agro-business and analyze the propagation of the transgenic soybean known as "Roundup Ready" in the pampas region. In both cases, we consider the positive and negative characteristics within the productive and macroeconomic order, including impact on employment, environment, and social welfare.

O impacto da modernização agrícola no mercado de trabalho formal brasileiro

“…No entanto, esse debate também é mais amplo. A discussão sobre a mecanização da agricultura tem se tornado cada vez mais extensa (Young, 2013), principalmente em países africanos (Houssou et al, 2013), asiáticos (Mehta et al, 2014) e da américa em geral (Reveles, 2012). A justificativa se deve ao fato da importância da produção agrícola no desenvolvimento econômico e social, pois, além de garantir segurança alimentar e nutricional Martins, 2018), tem impacto direto nas transformações sociais dentro e fora do campo, tais como a concentração fundiária e o êxodo rural (Alves;Rocha, 2010;Telles et al, 2019).…”