Alternative farming models in Argentina, New Zealand and the Netherlands: comparative reflections *

The consolidation of the conventional production model worldwide, especially linked to the implementation of a technological package derived from the so-called Green Revolution, has been subject of study and analysis in recent years. Concomitantly, alternative productions are emerging. In this context, there are not many studies that explain in a comparative way how different countries approach these alternative responses. This article analyses alternative responses to conventional production model in Argentina, New Zealand and the Netherlands considering the public treatment of this issue, through regulations, programs and public policies. The methodological nature of this study is qualitative, based on previous studies by the authors, sources of secondary information and in-depth interviews. Main results show that: the three case studies, immersed in dissimilar socio-historical contexts, generate differential alternative responses to the conventional production model; the motivations for this are specific to each case, as the interest in consuming healthy and safe food, the care of the environment and better prices for the farmers; in all three cases, the current coexistence of alternative and conventional productions is corroborated. The alternative proposals tend to bring more holistic views of food systems, in which the members of the community are at the same time actors and beneficiaries of the transformations unfolding around them. By identifying and comparing the different emerging alternatives in three countries with such dissimilar characteristics, it is possible to reflect on the way in which problems and solutions around agricultural food systems are perceived, providing useful insights for strategic planning.
NZBIDA 

* Spanish title: Modelos agrícolas alternativos en Argentina, Nueva Zelanda y Holanda: reflexiones comparativas