Research and rural extension on the frontier: articulation between public institutions ind Brazil and Argentina

Abstract

By highlighting significant milestones in rural extension and agricultural research in the border area between Rio Grande do Sul (BR) and Misiones (AR), this study aims to understand the impacts of the relationships between public institutions in Brazil and Argentina, particularly regarding the services offered to the assisted public with a focus on promoting profitable and sustainable agricultural activities. The analysis draws on elements of Comparative History, advocated by the French historian Marc Bloch, which suggests the comparison of similarities and possible divergences between societies that are close in space and time, under the influence of similar cultural forces and conditions. To achieve this, methodological tools such as document and bibliographic analysis, as well as semi-structured interviews, were adopted to gather complementary data. The analyses indicate that historical and cultural roots, along with the distance from major centers, have contributed to bringing together Brazilian and Argentine researchers, extension agents, and farmers at different times through official rural extension services, enabling the adoption of new forms of production and commercialization in their territories. However, further progress is needed when the goal is to work in a planned and continuous manner, addressing emerging social and economic agendas more systematically.

Keywords: border cooperation; agricultural public policies; rural extension; agricultural research; regional development.