Introduction Pesticide exposure involves toxicological and epidemiological events, and the perception of risks as a socially constructed process. Despite the growing and widespread research of exposure among rural workers, very few studies have focused on the risk perception on other population groups, particularly in agrocity contexts. The lack of this kind of investigation in Uruguay has limited monitoring program development that includes social dimensions of pesticides exposure.

Objectives To describe and analyze discourses produced by educational, productive, health and social actors in the agrocity of Guichón, Uruguay, regarding health vulnerabilities caused by pesticides exposure.

Methods We selected Guichón-city as a paradigmatic case and conducted exploratory interviews among key actors in 2017. The selected population consisted of pesticide applicators, heads of local health services, school principals and members of non-governmental organizations. Sixteen semi-structured interviews were conducted between 2018 and 2020. In addition, regular visits were made to the city where the geographical environment and the relationship with pesticides were observed. Field material was processed through thematic content analysis.

Results We identified two discursive formations in tension in the delimited agrocity. One set of discourse was defined as productive-preventive. Among those discourse, pesticides vulnerabilities were individualised and relativised, agronomic sources were invoked, and preventive actions were privileged. On the other hand, environmental-health discourses refered to different diseases, loss of wildlife and biodiversity and community´s concerns. Direct experience or exchange with peers support these discourses, which are articulated with practices of denounce.

Conclusions In the agrocity of Guichón, discourses about health vulnerabilities of pesticides are in dispute. On the one hand, there are defensive strategies that naturalize risks while on the other, risks are problematized and questioned. Promotion of dialogical networks appears to be an indispensable premise for the development of a local monitoring policy on this topic.