Outbreaks that don’t want to wilt. The fair movement and policies for family agriculture in Argentina (2015-2018)

Abstract

The development of the family agriculture fairs is continous and shows an expansive tendency in Latin America. This article wonders: How did the process of organization and dispute of public policies that resulted in the construction of these fairs in Santiago del Estero (northwestern Argentina) take place? What are their strengths and weaknesses in a context of reduced support by the State between 2015-2018? Although some of the experiences recorded may be small and isolated, others are growing in size. In other words, they are emerging as outbreaks of a rural development model under construction that are resistant to wilt. The potential of the fairs is expressed in aspects that transcend the economic: while they promote diversification and the generation of an alternative income, they are an expression of the daily political struggles that currently characterize the countryside.