The Advance of Agribusiness over the Chaco Forests: Social Actors of Deforestation and the Dynamics of State Regulations

Abstract

The agribusiness model in Argentina has expanded its borders into territories previously considered peripheral to the Humid Pampas, generating profound transformations. This paper analyzes the processes of deforestation and agricultural expansion, paying special attention to the actors involved and the role of provincial government agencies. The study takes as its case a new "core zone" of agribusiness in the province of Chaco: the Pampa del Infierno region (Almirante Brown department). The methodology is eminently qualitative, but quantitative data from agricultural and population censuses, production statistics, and economic reports are used to contextualize the transformations in the case study. The main contribution lies in linking the structural transformations of agriculture with the role of local actors in the territory, placing special emphasis on the role of the provincial government.