Argentina’s ever-expanding agricultural industry is poised to push onto 9 million hectares (22 million acres) of land currently occupied by small farmers and indigenous peoples, according to a government-funded study here on land problems. Non-governmental groups have complained for years that Argentina’s soybean-driven agricultural juggernaut has been taking a serious environmental and social toll as massive mono-crop operations have displaced forest, small-scale farms and people. They welcome the study, pointing out that it is the first of its kind to be funded by the government, but they express skepticism that authorities will adopt the policies needed to prevent a continuation of the country’s wholesale land-use changes. They cite public plans issued by the government to promote dramatic increases... [Log in to read more]