Adoption of sustainable silvopastoral practices in Argentina's Gran Chaco: A multilevel approach
Maurice Tschopp, Michele Graziano Ceddia, Carla Inguaggiato
Abstract
The Gran Chaco is currently a global hotspot of deforestation and environmental degradation. Halting global warming and curbing biodiversity losses are urgent priorities and recent research suggests that sustainable smallholder production systems could contribute to maintain and restore key ecosystem services. This article examines the adoption of two silvopastoral practices in Argentina's Gran Chaco. We conducted a survey of 552 smallholders in three municipalities in the province of Salta. With the resulting data, we used multilevel models to assess adoption of the two practices. Our multilevel models indicate several factors that are associated with adoption, including: gender of the household head, year of establishment, literacy of the household head, membership in a producer organization, and socio-economic status. Our results suggest that paraje – groups of neighbouring households or joint settlements – are a good predictor of adoption, whereas nearby villages are only marginally associated with adoption. We conclude by highlighting the importance of accounting for local structures and groups of households in rural studies.