Ở phía tây bắc Patagonia của Argentina, nông dân, những người tự gọi mình là criaceros, di chuyển cừu và dê trong mô hình theo mùa trên dãy núi Andes phía nam dãy núi và thung lũng. Đó là phong cách transhumant sản xuất là rất mong manh vì nó phụ thuộc vào (1) cộng đồng nông thôn để thiết lập định mức sử dụng tài nguyên, (2) biến thể hàng năm và theo mùa ở các đồng cỏ và thức ăn gia súc có sẵn, và (3) thị trường sợi quốc gia và quốc tế | 8 Transhumant Communities and Agroecosystems in Patagonia1 Monica Bendini CONTENTS Background The Rural Community of the Crianceros Development of Transhumance Practices The Community Transhumant Agroecosystem Postoralism and Landscape Images and Perceptions Perceptions of the Landscape State Policies Peasants Poverty and Survival Conclusions Control and Resistance On Problems and Potentiality References BACKGROUND In the northwest of the Argentine Patagonia peasants who call themselves criaceros move sheep and goats in seasonal patterns on the southern Andes Mountains and valleys. That transhumant style of production is very fragile because it depends on 1 the rural community to establish norms of resource use 2 annual and seasonal variations in the pasture and forage available and 3 national and international fiber markets. 1 A version of this article was presented as a paper in the 4th European Symposium on European Farming and Rural Systems Research and Extension into the Next Millennium Enviromental Agricultural and Socioeconomic Issues held in Volos Greece April 3-7 2000. 2001 by CRC Press LLC THE RURAL COMMUNITY OF THE CRIANCEROS The crianceros move their sheep and goats through valleys of the southern Andes mountains mountain slope woodland and arid steppes in the Patagonian plateau Bendini and Tsakoumagkos 1994 . The territory extends from the south of the province of Mendoza to the center of the province of Chubut. Most of the crianceros population is concentrated in the provinces of Neuquén and Río Negro. Approximately 7 500 crianceros and their livestock mainly sheep and goats with some horses and cattle live on this landscape. Their herd size measured in sheep units averages 250 to 500. Sheep shearing and the sale of sheep wool mohair and goat meat provide income to these households. Some meat and wool are used by the family but the majority goes to the market. Local extraprovincial and international brokers buy the wool and mohair. They seek specific
