Caa-Yari

On Tuesday, November 27th, 2007, the Project for Sustainable Development and Human Promotion, through the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Argentina and Uruguay (IELU), met with the farmers of the community Caa-Yari, which sits on the outskirts of Oberá, in the province of Misiones, Argentina. The role of the project is to accompany farmers in their own organizing, promoting their own dignity and creating sustainable development. During the meeting, the farmers began comparing prices of La Feria Franca (the open vegetable market of Misiones), the local supermarket, and the prices that the producers of Caa-Yari currently sell their vegetables at. The farmers noticed that within their own community, they were selling their products at different prices. The farmers began to discuss the importance of setting a standard price, so that they cannot not only create community among themselves, instead of competition, but also so that they can set a fair and just price for their products.
Later, we did a group dynamic. The group stayed in a circle, as it had been throughout the meeting. We passed a ball of string around. When each person tossed the string, s/he said what his/her dream for the farm is. There were many tears shed, as the farmers not only talked about their dreams, but also about their current reality of the farms that they live on. After each person said their dream, they held one side of the string, and threw the ball to someone else in the room. After the string was tossed, a large web was created, with each of us connected. We noticed what happens when tension is put in one area of the string and what happens when some people drop the string. We noticed the importance of us all holding an equal amount of weight on the string. To me, this a beautiful image of us as the body of Christ that is fully connected and dependent on all the parts of the body. We each have different functions and gifts, but we need each other to keep the web taught.
Please read our dreams, and pray these dreams with us. All of us are connected to this great web of life, whether that means as consumers or producers.


Our Dreams:

• Que mis hijos sean comprometidos en la chacra

That my children be committed to the farm.

• Tranquilizarse

That that farm can give me peace.

• Que mis hijos tengan el sueño de volver a sus raíces, volver a la chacra, ¡que funciona, y tengan algo para su futuro


That my children have dreams of returning to their roots, return to the farm, the farm works, so that they (my children) have something for their future.

• Poder quedarse en la chacra y no en la ciudad, que haya mas gente con voluntad, que puedan trabajar dignamente

To be able to stay on the farm and not the city, that there are more people with determination and that they are able to work on the farm with honour.

• Seguir luchando. Antes tenia el sueño de que todo iba cambiar, pero hoy le aconsejo a mis hijos, hijas que busquen trabajo afuera. Pero sigo apostando a tener un futuro con la chacra. Es muy importante el rol de la Iglesia, es bueno que nos estén acompañando y tenemos que estar mas en esto.

To keep fighting. Before I had the dream that everything was going to change, but today I advise my sons and daughters to look for work outside. But I continue betting that there will be a future with the farm. The role of the church is very important, it is good that it is accompanying us and we are better in this.

• Juntarnos y tener más. Poder juntos y poner en práctica.

To get together and have more. To be able to get together and put it into practice.

• Así como hay bailando por un sueño, nosotros hacemos “Trabajando por un sueño” siempre pensé mientras duermo mis plantas crecen. Y tengo algo. En la ciudad podemos tener un trabajo, pero que pasa cuando nos quedamos sin, en la chacra nunca te quedas sin trabajo. Algo se va a comer

This is how I dance with my dream, that we are: “working for a dream.” While I sleep, I always think of plants growing. And I have something. We can have work in the city, but something can happen when we situate ourselves without the farm. In the farm I am never without work. There is always something to eat.

• Estar en la chacra y seguir estando, y que las chacras sigan estando. Hoy todo se vende, yo quiero que quede por mis hijos, por mis nietos. Tenemos que tener diversificación hasta en la forestación. Por que el pino crece, pero después no crece nada, y que le dejamos a nuestros hijos. Plantar árboles. Volver a sembrar futuros montes: guatambú, anchico, hasta canela.

To be on the farm and to continue to be there, that the farms continue to be. Today we sell every thing, I want my children to stay, for my grandchildren. We have to have diversification until we have forestation. Why does the pine grow, but later nothing grows? And what do we leave for our children? To plant trees. To return to plant the future forests; to plant guatambú, anchico, up to canela (native trees of the area).

• Yo considero que es el rol de la Iglesia, acompañar esto pero también del estado y de todos.

I consider, what is the role of the church? To accompany this but also to be and to be of all people.

• Ayudar a mi hijo, seguir cultivando cuidando la tierra.

To help my children, to continue cultivating and taking care of the earth.

• La iglesia debería también ser una vos por el uso y abuso de los agroquímicos.

The church must also be a voice for the use and abuse of agro-chemicals.

• Descansar

To rest.

• Estar en la chacra y que este mi hijo

To be on the farm, and that my son be on the farm.

• Que la chacra sea con producciones y que siga en la familia, y que se quede en la familia.


That the farm be with production and that it continue in the family. And that my family can stay on the farm.

• Que salga bien lo que estamos ideando, empezando. Que podamos vender nuestro producto.

That every thing come out well that we are going, starting. That we can sell our product.

• Que Dios nos dé salud. Trabajo y el futuro para mis hijos. Que mi esposo mejore, por que si el esta enfermos toda la familia esta mal.

That God give us health. I work and the future for my children. That my wife get better, because if she is sick all of the family is bad.

• Mi abuelo me aconsejo plantar eucaliptos, será para mi futuro, yo probé vivir en la ciudad pero no me hallo. Es mejor en la chacra.


My grandfather advised me to plant eucalyptus. It will be for my future. I tried to live in the city but it did not let me. It is better on the farm.

• Mi deseo para el futuro que no haya más roundap, ni más tabaco, es una guerra. Más oportunidad de trabajar mejor.


My desire for the future is that there be no more roundup (a genetically engineered agrochemical), nor more tobacco, it is war. More opportunities to work the farm better.

• Mi deseo como consumidora; que las chacras den vidas a las futuras generaciones, y me gustaría que haya mas consumidores comprometidos y que apoyen por la mejor vida, una calidad buena de vida de los productores.


My desire, as a consumer, is that the farms give life to the future generations. And I would like for consumers to be more committed and that they support this better life, a better quality of life for the farmers.


May all of our dreams be realized!