Rural Citizenship and Agroecological Mobilisation in Argentina: Grassroots Struggles for Land and Sustainability

Like in other Latin American countries, land distribution in Argentina is profoundly unequal. Notably, it remains one of the few countries in the region that has not undergone agrarian reform. This inequity deeply affects land tenure for small-scale producers with low levels of capital, becoming one of the main challenges faced by the rural sector.

In Argentina, rural grassroots movements have increasingly incorporated environmental concerns into their mobilization strategies, particularly in relation to agro-food production. While environmental issues such as soil and water contamination have been raised by peasant groups since the 1990s, in recent years, ecological sustainability has become a central focus. Agroecology, both as a productive strategy and a political tool, has emerged as a key demand of rural movements, promoting not only sustainable land use but also food sovereignty.

This research examines the self-organized initiatives of rural organizations, such as the Unión de Trabajadores de la Tierra (UTT) and the Rural Branch of the Movimiento de Trabajadores Excluidos (MTE). These groups have been instrumental in advancing agroecology as a grassroots alternative to the dominant agro-industrial model. By resisting land concentration and advocating for equitable access to natural resources, they have redefined rural citizenship, emphasizing autonomy and collective agency. The focus is on the interaction between these bottom-up movements and state institutions, particularly the Ministry of Agrarian Development of Buenos Aires Province, to explore how grassroots demands are institutionalized into public policy.

This investigation will address the tensions that arise between autonomous rural organizations and formal political structures, while also highlighting the capacity of these grassroots movements to shape ecological and social change. Through this case study, the research contributes to broader discussions on rural transformations, illustrating how local struggles over land and sustainability reflect wider efforts to achieve social justice.