Paper short abstract:

We examine the material relations surrounding production of the castor in Madagascar. Theorizing the bioeconomy through the lens of a commodity frontier, we show how the appropriation of land and restructuring of labour is historically and geographically reproducing exploitative social relations.

Paper long abstract:

The EC defines the bioeconomy, as a 'transition economy which seeks to increase efficiency, optimize use and decrease environmental impact through the reduction of waste and greenhouse gas emissions.' Yet, attempts to replace or 'roll-back' nature through efficient bio-based technology have not lived up to expectations and much of the industry still relies on globally-sourced biomass to engine the bioeconomy. The aim of this article is to examine the social and political economic relations surrounding small-scale production of the bioeconomy feedstock castor in the deep-south of Madagascar. Theorizing the bioeconomy through the lens of a 'commodity frontier,' we build off recent injunctions by Jason Moore to show how the appropriation of land and restructuring of cheap labour is both historically and geographically co-produced by hidden labour regimes and local agricultural knowledge systems. Over the years, castor has been held up to almost mythical proportions as a 'one-crop wonder' which can transform regional economies and a silver-bullet to alleviate poverty, food security in some of the most economically marginal areas of Madagascar. We examine what is behind this discursive cloak of development imaginaries to render the hidden social relations surrounding castor production visible. In particular, we look at the difficulties or uncooperativeness of nature to be commodified and in return the widening or seeking out new natures for accumulation due to limits (exhaustion of biomass stocks, socio-technical constraints) and deepening through appropriating both cheap labour and extra-human nature.