The recovering of a traditional technology: an alternative for Family Farming? The Association of Producers of Mate Tea with Barbacua System in the Center of the Province of Misiones, Argentina

Abstract

For generations, the production and processing of yerba mate has been primarily in the hands of thousands of family farmers in the province of Misiones (Argentina). However, policies of deregulation, technological changes and processes of economic concentration relegated these farmers to mere suppliers of raw materials to industry. This article describes and analyzes the socio technical network promoted by a group of family farmers seeking to recover a traditional technology (barbacuá drying system) as a productive alternative. Attention is paid to the history of growing and processing of yerba mate in the territory, to the specificities of this unique production process and finally to the process of articulation of the productive network evaluating its achievements and limitations. The theoretical perspective is that of the the actor network theory (ANT).