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Typology of subjectivities in relation to grass management
Author
Pereira Machin, M
Areosa, P
Carriquiry E
De Hegedus, P
Publisher
XII International Rangeland Congress
Publication Year
2025
Body

In Uruguay, most cattle and sheep herds graze on natural grasslands. Research indicates that overgrazing is widespread. As part of the Grassland Management (GM) extension project, research is being developed to identify the different ways in which ranchers think about what they understand by GM. This set of different ways is called a typology of subjectivities. From these differences, five ways of thinking about GM emerge. They are, 1-from the whole (which is associated with rotational grazing and implies considering cattle and sheep herds, soil, pasture and human resources), 2-from the grass, 3-from measurement, 4-from visual observation and 5-from the body condition of cattle herds. Based on similarities, it is possible to generate two macro-groups that facilitate analysis. The proactive rational macro-group (groups the whole, the grass and measurement) and the reactive rational macro-group (groups visual observation and body condition). Each macro-group has its ontological dimension (what to look at?), epistemological dimension (relationship between the rancher and their reality) and methodological dimension (how to look?). The average GM subjectivity profile for all the cases analysed (26 farms) prioritizes the whole or grass view and rejects visual observation (which implies that they prefer to measure). One of the advances of this project is the identification of methodological views in each macro-group. These views are the gateway for technical assistance and rural extension (TARE). This means that TARE must work orienting their strategies according to each macro group rationality. From which it is deduced that it would not be correct to emphasize measurement and not work with the more traditional producers who focus on the visual observation (as suggested by the traditional theory of rural extension).

Language
English
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Additional Information
This paper is part of the larger XII International Rangelands Congress Proceedings. Page Numbers: 355-359. Theme: Theme 2 / Poster presentations – Theme 2
ISSN
978-0-646-72121-7
Conference Name
International Rangeland Congress
Collection
International Rangelands Congress
Keywords
typology of subjectivities
grass management
extension
grasslands