Notes on the construction of discursive hegemony on agrotoxins in Argentine agribusiness

Abstract

This article aims to reconstruct how discursive hegemony is shaped around the use of agrochemicals in extensive agriculture in Argentina. To this end, it analyzes scientific discourses and their validation mechanisms, along with grey literature (understood as documents that, although not subjected to formal scientific validation processes, circulate widely among various agricultural actors) and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), seen as key tools in constructing this discursive hegemony. The study was conducted from a qualitative perspective with an ethnographic approach, through participant observation and in-depth interviews with producers, rural workers, and health and education professionals, covering the period from July 2015 to December 2019. The study suggests that discursive hegemony regarding agrochemicals is deeply influenced by power dynamics involving multiple actors, including transnational companies and the role played by so-called "grey literature." It also explores the tensions between counter-hegemonic scientific publications and how they interact with agribusiness structures. Furthermore, the implications of the state's focus on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) are analyzed, questioning the extent to which these strategies contribute to or fail to transform the agricultural model and its impacts on health and the environment. The study also debates whether these policies shift the focus toward individual responsibilities rather than addressing structural issues within the production model.