Barter is back.
As the Argentinian economy implodes in the worst economic crisis since the early 2000s, Argentinians are turning to numerous innovative strategies to survive.
The direct exchange of basic goods through barter is one such strategy, but it has evolved quite a bit.
Now, the numerous barter fairs that have popped up in 2018 are organized through social media, each group having thousands of members.
A typical weekly barter fair in a city like Moreno is tightly organized and depends on prior online engagements: participants post what they have to offer and what they wish in exchange, and matches are found.
After the physical-market event commences, contacts have just an hour to find each other and barter their goods, which tend to be basic household necessities such as food and clothing.
Ninety percent of participants are women, who are at the forefront of helping Argentinian society mitigate the galloping economic crisis.
That includes a 40-percent inflation rate this year alone, with rising joblessness and other worsening poverty indicators.
Source: El Pais