An analysis of the metabolic patterns of two rural communities affected by soy expansion in the North of Argentina

Nancy Arizpe, Jesus Ramos-Martin and Mario Giampietro
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Nancy Arizpe: Institut de Ciencia i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Mario Giampietro: Institut de Ciencia i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

No 2012_06, UHE Working papers from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Departament d'Economia i Història Econòmica, Unitat d'Història Econòmica

Abstract: The soy expansion model in Argentina generates structural changes in traditional lifestyles that can be associated with different biophysical and socioeconomic impacts. To explore this issue, we apply an innovative method for integrated assessment - the Multi Scale Integrated Analysis of Societal and Ecosystem Metabolism (MuSIASEM) framework - to characterize two communities in the Chaco Region, Province of Formosa, North of Argentina. These communities have recently experienced the expansion of soy production, altering their economic activity, energy consumption patterns, land use, and human time allocation. The integrated characterization presented in the paper illustrates the differences (biophysical, socioeconomic, and historical) between the two communities that can be associated with different responses. The analysis of the factors behind these differences has important policy implications for the sustainable development of local communities in the area.

Keywords: Societal metabolism; soy expansion; Chaco; biophysical accounting; rural development; multi-scale integrated analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D13 J22 O13 O44 Q12 Q57 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 31 pages
Date: 2012-11
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aub:uhewps:2012_06

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