Land concentration and foreign land ownership in Argentina in the context of global land grabbing

Abstract This analysis of the role and dynamic of land concentration and foreign land ownership in Argentina describes the scale of concentration in the agricultural sector, focusing on large domestic firms, foreign companies and capital, and the possible presence of land grabbing. The examination of large units shows the different forms that access to land may take, the importance of factors other than the size of farm properties and the diversity found among these companies. Our examination of the various characteristics of land grabbing indicates what effects these processes may have both on family farms and on the global food supply. Cette étude de la dynamique de concentration des terres et de la propriété foncière étrangère en Argentine décrit l'ampleur de ces tendances dans le secteur agricole en mettant l'accent sur le rôle des grandes firmes nationales, sur celui des firmes et des capitaux étrangers, ainsi que sur la présence possible d'un phénomène d'accaparement des terres. L'analyse des grands holdings met en lumière les formes variées de l'accès à la terre, l'importance de facteurs autres que la taille des exploitations agricoles ainsi que la diversité des sociétés impliquées dans les changements agricoles en cours. Après examen de la diversité des formes d'accaparement des terres, l'article s'interroge sur les conséquences des dynamiques d'accaparement pour les exploitations familiales et pour l'approvisionnement mondial en produits alimentaires. Résumé Cette étude de la dynamique de concentration des terres et de la propriété foncière étrangère en Argentine décrit l'ampleur de ces tendances dans le secteur agricole en mettant l'accent sur le rôle des grandes firmes nationales, sur celui des firmes et des capitaux étrangers, ainsi que sur la présence possible d'un phénomène d'accaparement des terres. L'analyse des grands holdings met en lumière les formes variées de l'accès à la terre, l'importance de facteurs autres que la taille des exploitations agricoles ainsi que la diversité des sociétés impliquées dans les changements agricoles en cours. Après examen de la diversité des formes d'accaparement des terres, l'article s'interroge sur les conséquences des dynamiques d'accaparement pour les exploitations familiales et pour l'approvisionnement mondial en produits alimentaires. Keywords: land grabbingland concentration"foreignisation""pools"soybean Acknowledgments We are grateful to Sergio Gómez for retaining us for the original FAO research project, from which this article originates. We are also grateful to Sergio Gómez, Jun Borras, John Wilkinson and Cristóbal Kay for selecting our work for the special issue of CJDS. We appreciate all the effort that went into putting the issue together. We thank our anonymous reviewers for their valuable expert comments. Notes Original Spanish text of this article was translated by Pablo Lapegna and Katie Sobering. See FAO and IFAD publications and press releases; Borras et al. (2012); World Bank (2010); Zoomers Citation(2010); Kugelman and Levenstein Citation(2009); and, among others, the websites www.farmlandgrab.org and www.grain.org See Manciana, Trucco and Piñeiro Citation(2009); Díaz and Reca Citation(2010); Bisang Citation(2007); Barsky and Gelman Citation(2001). This section of the article has been updated to reflect 2011 data; the other sections contain the same data as used for the original 2010 FAO study. Called "the Impenetrable", this large area of native forest covers more than 40,000 km2 and is located in the western plains of the Chaco region, north-west of the province of Chaco. It also includes a portion of the provinces of Salta and Santiago de Estero. The Teuco River and the Bermejo River border the forest and it is crossed by the Bermejito River. The data available are from National Agricultural Censuses completed in 1988 and 2002 (INDEC 1988, 2002). Production units that involve one or more plots that are owned or leased, including sharecropping or other forms of temporary tenure. They also include units that combine owned and contracted plots. National Agricultural Census 1988 and 2002 (INDEC 1988, 2002). The provinces of Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, Córdoba, Entre Ríos and La Pampa. See Kliphan and Enz Citation(2006); Santillán and Sanpedro (2010a, 2010b). Given the variety of sources and the lack of data for both years (land tenure was held constant), the data offered is not representative. In general, scholarly articles, newspapers, magazines and webpages only provided approximations and, thus, do not constitute a trustworthy database. In this area, there have been recent conflicts over the use of urban land. In agriculture, there has been a conflict over displacement of indigenous peoples in the province of Formosa. We would like to acknowledge the contribution of an independent reviewer on existing studies. See Cáceres et al. Citation(2011); Cáceres et al. Citation(2010); Tapella Citation(2012). A point that deserves greater attention is that of pluri-activity, or the combination of agrarian with non-agrarian work and positions in various occupations. See Bryceson, Kay, and Mooij Citation(2000); Craviotti Citation(2010); López Castro and Prividera Citation(2011); Radonich and Steimbreger Citation(2007); Teubal and Rodríguez (2002). See Cloquell Citation(2007); Craviotti Citation(2010); López Castro and Prividera Citation(2011); Radonich and Steimbreger Citation(2007); Teubal and Rodríguez (2002); and Tsakoumagkos Citation(2007). While this and many other studies of agriculture focus on units and companies of different sizes, we should also take into account how changes in the mix of products, qualifications and conditions of work affect wage labourers. We are indebted with the suggestions of one of the independent reviewers regarding some of these topics.

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