La vida social de los plaguicidas en Poncitlán, Jalisco

Objective: To analyse the circulation, uses, and perspectives on pesticides in communities from Poncitlán, Jalisco, a region where a controversy over the use of these substances and the unusual incidence of chronic kidney disease of non-traditional causes exists. Methodology: Ethnographic fieldwork carried out between 2021 and 2024, which included participant observation, field notes, and semi-structured interviews with peasant men and women and key informants. Results: For most people, pesticides are seen as a necessary tool for agricultural work, and they have the uncertainty of causing damage to the environment and the health of those who use them. Value: Empirical contribution to the debate on the perspectives, uses, and consequences of pesticides. Limitations: The results are specific to the region of study. Conclusions: Pesticides are substances that circulate freely in different settings, where actors give them ambivalent and contradictory meanings, perpetuating uncertainty about their effects.