What do these mean? A bad translation? 'Brotes tiernos'? Food (system) questions
I have a Spanish book I bought in Bolivia which I believe is a translation from a French book originally. There's a couple of things in it that I'm not sure whether I'm just not understanding it or it's a bad translation.

Los brotes tiernos? This translates to 'tender shoots' but I have no idea what that is referring to!

Al destrozarlos con la generalización de un sistema agroalimentario devastador, sierra la rama a la que está agarrado. People translated this to 'By destroying them with the generalization of a devastating agro-alimentary system, it cuts the branch to which it is seized.' and 'By destroying them with the generalization of a devastating Agroalimentary system, it closes the branch which they're holding to.' but... I don't even understand the translation! Does anyone know what that could be trying to say?

Thanks in advance! :)

Question

What do these mean? A bad translation? 'Brotes tiernos'? Food (system) questions
I have a Spanish book I bought in Bolivia which I believe is a translation from a French book originally. There's a couple of things in it that I'm not sure whether I'm just not understanding it or it's a bad translation.

Los brotes tiernos? This translates to 'tender shoots' but I have no idea what that is referring to!

Al destrozarlos con la generalización de un sistema agroalimentario devastador, sierra la rama a la que está agarrado. People translated this to 'By destroying them with the generalization of a devastating agro-alimentary system, it cuts the branch to which it is seized.' and 'By destroying them with the generalization of a devastating Agroalimentary system, it closes the branch which they're holding to.' but... I don't even understand the translation! Does anyone know what that could be trying to say?

Thanks in advance! :)

Answer

Hi Tess! I would say that "green buds" is a more accurate translation, but I am not sure because I do not master that subject. Although the text sounds kind of strange to me -I am from Spain-, I think it's a metaphor with an ironic meaning. Perhaps, they are using a system too aggressive -sistema agroalimentario devastador- and it's affecting the crops by destroying them after they have only started to sprout. This way, the system is destroying the resource which it's intended to help to grow and it depends on -sierra la rama a la que está agarrado-. 
I hope you'll understand what I've tried to say, and it will be useful. Anyway, it's just my opinion and I might be mistaken. Languages are complex even when you're native. Cheers!

Answer

Un brote es la parte de la planta (generalmente del árbol) por donde empieza a crecer una rama. Un brote tierno es una rama o una planta recién nacida, normalmente muy frágil. En determinados tipos de plantas, como las que se utilizan para las ensaladas, los brotes tiernos son más jugosos que las plantas más crecidas.
En relación con el siguiente párrafo, imagino que lo que quiere decir es que se utiliza una técnica para obtener esos brotes que daña el resto de la planta. Por otra parte, cortar los brotes de una rama impide que la planta pueda crecer. De hecho, los jardineros y agricultores deben tener buenos conocimientos cuando realizan la poda (el corte selectivo de las ramas) de los árboles, y siempre deben dejar suficientes brotes (también se les llama yemas) para que la planta crezca.