SUSTAINABLE PATHWAYS
FOR NATURAL RESOURCE INDUSTRIES
Reports on Alternatives
Case studies on transformative alternatives in Argentina, Brazil and Chile
Agricultural Sector in Argentina
Case Study 2
Agricultores Federados Argentinos
By Valeria Arza and Claudia Vazquez
Sector: Agriculture in Argentina
Transition type: path-breaking
Description: The Agroecological Cooperative of Litoral (ACL) is a co-operative of small cotton producers from Chaco, a province in northern Argentina, which is part of a textile chain guided by fair trade principles. By proposing practices radically different from the mainstream, this case shows that an alternative model to produce and industrialise cotton could succeed in promoting social inclusion and better environmental outcomes. On the other hand, the project faces significant challenges to survive against the dominant system, which put barriers to its expansion (e.g. spreading use of GM seeds in the province).
By Mariana Fuchs and Roberto Bisang
Sector: Agriculture in Argentina
Transition type: path-repairing
Description: Agricultores Federados Argentinos (AFA, Federal Argentinian Farmers) is a co-operative of more than 33,000 small, medium and large agricultural producers in four Argentinean provinces (Santa Fé, Córdoba, Buenos Aires y Entre Ríos). AFA addresses a range of problems related to the dominant agricultural production system in Argentina by diversifying and industrializing their productive activities in the country side, as well as incorporating a number of long term sustainability issues. This case looks at the cooperative model as a viable option to transition away from the unsustainable dominant productive model.
By Anabel Marín and Maximiliano Vila Seoane
Sector: Apiculture in Argentina
Transition type: path-breaking
Description: COOPSOL is a co-operative of small and medium honey producers (around 150) located in the province of Santiago del Estero, which is diffusing organic practices among small producers and has certified fair trade. The project has managed to export most of its production to Europe, bringing jobs and quality of life to the most remotes areas in Santiago. However, it clearly exemplifies the many challenges of promoting fair trade principles and a diversified production and inclusive industrial organization in a sector dominated by the expansion of soybean, intensive agricultural practices and transgenic crops.
By Anabel Marín, Lilia Stubrin and Patrick van Zwanenberg
Sector: Agriculture in Argentina
Transition type: path-creating
Description: With the arrival of modern biotechnology techniques, particularly those derived from new knowledge on genetics and biology, the technological possibilities to induce genetic improvements in seeds have broadened up. Among these possibilities, transgenesis has been promoted as the most novel and prominent way to innovate, despite that its impact remains unclear. The case of the Argentinean seed industry is used to explore the existing range of technological possibilities to improve seeds and the various social and economic implications of pursuing different technological trajectories.
Case Study 4
The Seeds Industry in Argentina
Case Study 3
COOPSOL Ltda.
Case Study 1
Agroecological Cooperative of Litoral
Exploitation of the Amazonian biodiversity in Brazil
3 Case Studies
(1) Production of cosmetics in the Amazon, (2) Sustainable Forest Management and (3) Mamirauá Reserve
By Antônio Galvão, Mayra Juruá and Luiz Esteves
Sector: The Amazon
Transition type: path-breaking, path-repairing and path-creating
Description: This report present three different case studies on alternative systems of exploitation in the Amazon. First, the cosmetic industry presents real potential for enhancing high-added value activities that are based on a model of sustainability and the use of natural and organic inputs from the region. Also, it offers promising perspectives in terms of research, innovation and technologies for cosmetics, health and nutrition industries that could further promote development in this region. This case study explores three major Brazilian players - Beraca Sabará, Natura and Chamma da Amazônia - with a view to analyze the opportunities in this sector as well as the many productive challenges and legal uncertainty in exploiting the rich biodiversity of the Amazon. Second, the deforestation, illegal logging and related activities along what is called the "Arc of Deforestation" have prompted efforts to develop sustainable forest management projects in the region. This study explores two alternative models of sustainable use of forest resources promoted through public-private-community initiatives with the objective to support agroforestry systems that sustain productive activities while preserving the Amazon's biodiversity. Despite their positive contributions towards these efforts, these productive models still face significant obstacles in competing with road-logging-livestock-crops activities. And third case study is on the model of sustainable forest management that has been promoted at the Mamirauá Reserve. This public-private initiative is quite unique, innovative, and on its early stages of implementation, which explain the many challenges it faces in order to become viable in the long-term.
Copper Mining in Chile
Case Study 1
Laboratory of Geomechanics for Mining
By José Miguel Benavente and Daniel Goya
Sector: Copper Mining in Chile
Transition type: path-creating
Description: This case focuses on the Center for Mathematical Modeling's Laboratory of Geomechaniscs for Mining (University of Chile) and its collaboration with Codelco's Teniente Division, particularly on the problem of rock blastings –one of the main challenges for underground mining. It illustrates the role of big mining companies in the development of cutting edge research and knowledge creation at universities, as well as the possibilities to diversify the economy by developing knowledge-intensive technologies from the challenges and knowledge demand generated by mining that have the potential to be commercialized. Yet, this kind of collaborations is an exception of a fruitful collaboration and efforts in this direction are constrained to the lack of qualified human capital.
Case Study 3
The Use of Seawater in the Productive Process
By José Miguel Benavente and Daniel Goya
Sector: Copper Mining in Chile
Transition type: path-repairing
Description: With water resources depleting at fast rates, fresh water (either over or underground) is becoming unavailable or increasingly expensive for both local populations and mining companies in Chile's northern regions. Thus, the alternative of using seawater in the productive process is increasingly attractive as local populations excercise pressure and increasing productive costs encourage firms to innovate solutions. The use of seawater (non-desalinated) is being analysed as an important technological innovation –developed in Chile for the most part. Despite remaining challenges, such as corrosion problems or pumping costs, the use of seawater is becoming an alternative to solve one of the industry's main productive constraints and long-term sustainability issues: growing water scarcity.
Case Study 2
Thickened Tailings Technology
By José Miguel Benavente and Daniel Goya
Sector: Copper Mining in Chile
Transition type: path-repairing
Description: Two of the main problems associated to mining are disposing of “tailings” and water consumption. The thickened tailings technology allows a higher rate of water recovery from the tailings, while also producing less harmful environmental effects (flying dust, risk of liquefaction, water shortage, among others). This case analyses this "repairing" technological alternative, its development, challenges to adapt this technology to mines of different sizes and to various types of tailings, as well as future prospects. Also, it exemplifies the importance of medium size companies in developing and testing the viability of this innovation and generating knowledge of appropriate solutions to operational problems.
Case Study 4
Aguamarina
By José Miguel Benavente and Daniel Goya
Sector: Copper Mining in Chile
Transition type: path-creating
Description: Aguamarina, a young company located in Antofagasta, was born out of the potential demand for biolixiviation services, extending the application of microorganisms and biotechnology to create environmentally-friendly solutions for other problems of the mining industry. This case shows that world-class applied scientific research is a viable alternative to improve and diversify the sector, while there is also an increasing interest of companies in these services. It also illustrates how technologies and capabilities developed around the mining sector can be applied on the rest of the economy, helping to produce a transition towards innovation-based economic growth, which although promising, still faces a shortage of highly-qualified human capital.