Sistemas alimentarios y agroecología en Paraguay

Abstract

Two types of agriculture coexist in Paraguay, the technified and the peasant and indigenous family. Both are food producers, but the technical one is focused on the production of soybeans and corn, while family farming has a wide range of products. Despite the increase in the cultivated area in recent years, a dependence on imports has also been generated, mainly fresh fruits and vegetables, to the point that today Paraguay only supplies itself with pineapple, cassava and banana. In this unfavorable context for family farming, many grassroots organizations have promoted agroecology, generating two trends, on the one hand a group that promotes agroecology as the alternative for a change in the productive model, and on the other hand, another group, which rather considers agroecology as a group of more sustainable production techniques that allow access to premium markets.

Keywords: family farming, food system, organic production.