Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
in the Santiagueño countryside. Be that as it may, campesinos that were impacted
more severely by a variety of hallenges, including those discussed above, had mi-
grated into urban setlements where food insecurity may be greater.
One reason urban dwellers perceive the campesinos to be poor, however, in-
volves their basic living conditions. Although this MOCASE-VC member is content
with the material comfort of his home, whih has no running water or sewage and
only a 12-volt solar panel for electricity, he admited that if someone would ofer to
pay for the installation of a modern bath and toilet he would not resist having it. Like
other campesinos with whom we have spoken in Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, he
does not resist modernity. He readily aknowledges, however, that goods and ser-
vices suh as satellite television or internet mean more and more bills, just like urban
dwellers have, and campesinos more oten than not lak disposable money for suh
amenities.
It is widely accepted among MOCASE-VC members that modernizing some pro-
duction methods, suh as having a tractor or a hainsaw, will be beneicial. hus,
although they contest soyization as a modernization process, the campesinos do not
reject modernity entirely. Rather, many of them want tehnology that is appropriate
for their way of life. For instance, they reject tehnology that reduces the need for la-
bour and eliminates the means for people to make a living. Modernization and teh-
nology are not necessarily perceived as bad; but they are seen as potentially han-
ging the aspirations of the younger generation in ways that could hallenge existing
campesino livelihoods and culture. herefore, tehnology is welcomed as long as it is
useful and practical to the campesinos. What exactly is useful and practical, however,
may be debateable.
Appropriate tehnology and development
The potential for a small tractor and associated farming implements to reduce the
difficulties of cultivation as well as improve the capacity for timely management in-
terventions is an example of a desired tehnology. he later capacity is of particular
importance in a hallenging environment where crop performance is oten limited
by available soil moisture. he introduction of suh tehnology is further conceived
as a common good, with shared access across the community. A member from the
south of the province, who expressed reservations regarding having electricity, had
a different perspective in regard to having a tractor:
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