Improvement and growth of local productive systems through identity, selfsufficiency and Municipal Development Fora

This paper intends to serve as a starting point for the discussion of a new perspective of territorial development. In accordance with Boisier, we understand the concept of territorial development as one related to the idea of container, as opposed to content. This is why we realize that even though every portion of the earth's surface is territory, not all territories matter from a development point of view. The aforementioned author differentiates among: “natural territory”, constituted by natural elements and free from any human intervention; "equipped territory" or intervened territory, in which man has already built transportation systems, infrastructure and even extractive production activities; and "organized territory", characterized by the existence of a community with local identity, politically and administratively regulated. These territories become subjects of interventions that promote development. This is why we propose a model structured around the creation of Municipal Development Fora, which will generate, with the participation of local actors, a Local Development Program. The proposal is formulated for territories over 5,000 and below 30,000 inhabitants. This criterion is based on the applicability of the proposed model to municipalities with potential for territorial development, large and balanced internal consumption, but where progress is hindered by the proximity of one or two political jurisdictions of a larger productive scale that have became regional administrative centers. We think it is necessary to consider the notion of development in the human scale, proposed by Max-Neef, who proposes that it is focused into and based on satisfying the main human needs, in moving towards self-reliance and the articulation between people, nature and technology.La presente ponencia intenta abrir el debate a partir de una nueva perspectiva de desarrollo territorial. Siguiendo a Boisier, entendemos al desarrollo territorial asociado a la idea de contenedor y no a la idea de contenido. Por lo tanto nuestra visión entiende que si bien territorio es todo recorte de la superficie terrestre, no cualquier territorio interesa desde el punto de vista del desarrollo. El mencionado autor diferencia entre: “territorio natural”, compuesto por los elementos de la naturaleza, sin intervención humana, “territorio equipado” o intervenido, en el cual el hombre ya ha instalado sistemas de transporte, obras de equipamiento y aún actividades productivas extractivas y “territorio organizado” caracterizados por la existencia de una comunidad con identidad local, regulado política y administrativamente. Estos territorios pasan a ser sujetos de intervenciones promotoras del desarrollo. Por ello, proponemos un modelo estructurado entorno a la creación de Foros de Desarrollo Municipal, que con la participación de los actores locales, generen un Programa de Desarrollo Local.Facultad de Ciencias Económica