Degrowth in global spaces: Extractivism and practices of socio-ecological transformation in the geography of Chile’s global fruit trade

Abstract

The current global socio-ecological crisis, caused by a growth-centered capitalist economy that disregards ecological limits and social injustices, underscores the necessity of rethinking human spatial relations beyond growth across multiple scales. Through a case study of Chilean fruit production for export to global markets, this research illuminates how spatialities of degrowth – a project of socio-ecological transformation beyond economic growth – can be conceived by examinig the interplay between global, local, and intermediate scales. During extended field research, I identified different forms of production within the Chilean fruit industry: a wholly export-oriented agro-industrial and extractivist model coexists with a set of alternative practices regarding the modes of production (agroecology), trade (fair trade), and relations with the territories (supporting diverse local economies). While these different forms of production are intricately interconnected, and the alternative practices remain quantitatively marginal and incomplete, the latter points toward a socio-ecological transformation that may be defined as a project of solidary degrowth spaces. A transformation that acknowledges limits to growth, consequently, limits to international trade, yet operates without the illusion of eliminating global connections altogether, focusing instead on ways to organize them in fairer and more sustainable forms.