Soy Farming

Soy has become the biggest cultivated crop in Paraguay. The soy boom started in the 1980s when Stroessner was still in power.

Before the soy boom, Paraguayan farmers grew a variety of crops and raised livestock for self sustenance and also to sell. They did not make much money but were in most cases at least able to feed themselves (usually not in an adequate manner). This is especially in the eastern region of the country were most of the population lives. This practice also kept the biodiversity of the region from being wiped out because farmers used fruit trees that were native to the region.

Today, roughly about five percent of the eastern forests remains and what can be seen is a sea of short green plants. These are the soybean plants. Industrial farmers, with many coming from Brazil, have been buying up the land for very cheap prices. In many cases farmers have been bullied, threatened or violence has been used against them. Many times these farmers are in debt and have to grow soy for loans. Also, the soy boom has not only evicted thousands of farmers, it has also displaced many indigenous communities.

Because the farming of soy is highly mechanized, many of those farmers who stayed behind to work have lost their jobs.

Soy has made the overall revenue of the country increase. There is a very large demand for soy worldwide and Paraguay has become a top worldwide producer. This growth in Paraguay reached 6.8% in 2007. But, because of the level of corruption in Paraguay, soy farmer do not observe the laws. For example they may use dangerous pesticides that can go into nearby communities.

But, the National Statistical Office reports that 35.6% of the 6.2 million Paraguayans were still living in povert in 2007 and Paraguayans living in extreme poverty has increased from 15.5% in 2005 to 19.4% in 2007.

Before, farmers were able to eat what they grew. But now with the soybean boom, they can no longer do that and they cannot grow livestock. Instead now they have to buy for most of their necessities.

Even though many of their leaders have been assassinated, Paraguayan farmers have become more organized. With the election of Fernando Lugo as president, there is hope among farmers because Lugo stated he would try to start a land reform. This will be very hard because so much of the land is privately owned and also because the corrupt Colorado Party machine is still intact. In Paraguay roughly one percent of the population owns 80 percent of the land.

Sources:

Cooperation as Rebellion: Creating Sustainable Agriculture in Paraguay

Paraguay: A Shift to the Left Under Lugo?

Paraguay (from global forest coallition)