Extensionist profiles linked to Agroecology in Santiago del Estero, Argentina
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5380/dma.v63i0.89753Keywords:
family, peasant and indigenous agriculture, agroecology, state, identity, public policiesAbstract
Agroecology encompasses various perspectives and trajectories – situated according to the particular social, cultural and ecological characteristics of each region –. The aim of this paper was to approach the hermeneutics of extension workers linked to Agroecology in Santiago del Estero between 2016 and 2017 with the purpose of contributing to the reflection of the practice and training in agroecology. We conducted an exploratory qualitative research from a critical interpretative approach through semi-structured interviews. We based our analysis on questions proposed by hermeneutics. Thus, we reconstructed What is there? What exists? What is being investigated for? How are problems transformed? What is known? How is knowledge (re)constructed? What is considered evidence? How is knowledge evaluated? Through these questions we recognise coherences, gaps and decouplings between discourses and practices. These contradictions are rather associated with institutionalized practices, involving tensions between individual-collective-institution. The extension staff showed a great diversity of perspectives and practices that we classified into three extension profiles linked to agroecology in Santiago del Estero: “Transferencist”, “Mediator” and “Emancipator”. The “transferencist” profile is the one we associate with the greatest number of contradictions and difficulties felt. The “emancipatory” profile is linked to a complex and multidimensional perspective, based on constructivist perspectives of defined knowledge, explicit utopias and epistemological pluralism based on an intersubjective dialogue for the strengthening of the network and collective identity. Furthermore, we identify the need to recognise the historicity of agroecology linked to rural extension and popular education within the umbrella of Latin American Environmental Thought. These results are useful for the individual and collective reflection of extension staff – and others – and as a reference for thinking about possible changes.
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