Contribuição da agricultura familiar na construção do conhecimento agroecológico: estudo de caso do Projeto Raízes da Terra

Abstract

Shifting cultivation, characterized by the use of fire in land preparation, has caused negative consequences for family farms, resulting in large deforested areas with low productivity and decreased regenerative capacity of secondary vegetation. The search for sustainable alternatives to slash and burn agriculture based on agroecological principles can result in a more sustainable rural environment development. Experiences has being tested by farmers through Project Raízes da Terra, therefore this work has as main objective to evaluate farmer’s contribution in agroecological knowledge construction in municipalities of Igarapé-Açu and Marapanim, identifying the reasons that has led to agroecological principles adoption in agroecosystem management. For this, were evaluated methodological processes and participatory tools experienced by farmers to introduce agroecological practices on land use systems to improving agroecosystems sustainability. The fire use was reduced from 28.5 ha in 2005 to 2 ha in 2011, production diversification has increased 51% when compared to the period 2005 to 2011, with establishment of 42ha of multistrata agroforestry from 2006 to 2007 and expanded to 55ha in 2011 representing 13 ha more than planned by Project Raizes da Terra. Concluding that the process of agroecological knowledge construction practiced by Project Raizes da Terra farmers contributed to development of an agroecological agriculture-based.