Nouvelles articulations entre petite agriculture et agro-industrie. Le secteur tabacole à Misiones (Argentine)

This paper illustrates organisational aspects of changing relationships between agriculture and agro-industry in the tobacco sector of Misiones, a region of small family farms in North-East Argentina. Institutional economics theory is used to explain how various institutions attempt to control tobacco growing and regulate competition in the interests of quality. A key figure, the instructor, plays a crucial role in these regulating mechanisms at the interface between producers and tobacco companies. This role is analysed in more depth to illustrate the technical, social and economic dimensions of the change to a new model of development in the tobacco sector.