The story of Gastón, El Colono from Misiones

Gastón is a primary producer from northern Argentina, specifically from the province of Misiones.

He was born and raised in a farming family in the city of La Plata. From a young age he learned the farmer's trade, how to care for the land and, above all, a love for this dignifying profession. As an adult, however, he decided to work in a different field, far from the world of farming.

Even so, every summer he traveled to Misiones to visit his wife's family, who were farmers. Little by little, he reconnected with what he was truly passionate about: producing. So he left his job in Buenos Aires and moved to Misiones with his family to fulfill his dream: having his own vegetable garden with a range of products.

Today, 10 years later, he grows and sells more than 10 kinds of food: tomatoes, avocados, carrots, arugula, lettuce, sweet potatoes, kale, oranges, potatoes and garlic, among others.

Gastón gets up very early every day, prepares his mate and begins his daily work tending the crops. For him, being a producer is something beautiful, but also a huge responsibility. When you produce food, you have to take many precautions so that it reaches families' tables in a healthy way. You also have to take care of water, save resources and try to reduce the use of agrochemicals.

Being a producer requires a great ability to overcome adversity. Today, climate change and the force of nature bring unexpected setbacks that you have to know how to get past if you're truly passionate about what you do.

The pandemic was also a major setback that brought huge changes for producers, as consumers started choosing other sales channels, such as online, which displaced the physical store. However, thanks to the power of resilience, Gastón looked for another way to sell his products, and in that search he found Agrojusto.

Gastón took part in a course for market vendors in Misiones organized by Agrojusto, where producers were trained in a range of topics related to sales mechanisms, digital marketing and social media. There, Agrojusto presented its platform for selling, and Gastón thought it would be a good alternative.

Agrojusto came to him as both an opportunity and a solution. An opportunity to sell directly to his consumers without having to rely on intermediaries. And a solution to go beyond the physical store.

‘I used to sell only on Saturdays at the market, and it was harder. If I didn't sell that day, a lot of my products would go bad. Now I get orders during the week and I have my own website, something I never thought I'd have,’ Gastón stresses.

Social technology and bringing producers into the digital world provide tools that benefit not only those who use them, but the community as a whole, by showing examples of resilience and hard work.

To visit his store, go to: elcolono.agrojusto.com.ar