Análise da sustentabilidade: o saber acadêmico e o saber local em agroecossistemas familiares de base ecológica no sul do Rio Grande do Sul.

Abstract

This study was developed in five family agroecosystems of ecological base located in four counties in southern Rio Grande do Sul. The overall objective of the study was to assess the sustainability of these agroecosystem using the tool MESMIS, by building indicators (direct and compounds) which allowed a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the environmental, economic and social dimensions . In developing this research, based on academic knowledge, were built nine Compound Sustainability Indicators: water quality, water availability, soil quality, quality of life, diversity and environmental protection, adaptability to ecologically-based farming systems, economic conditions, work force and self-management. Based on the farmers concept of sustainability were built ten Direct Sustainability Indicators: water availability, soil quality, availability of skilled workforce, self-financing, technical assistance, diversity and environmental preservation, income, production yield, utilities and marketing structure. The indicators were measured through semistructured interviews, questionnaires, field observations and laboratory analyzes. Through the construction of sustainability indexes, it was possible to evaluate these agroecosystems in an integrated way, presenting their levels of sustainability, which made possible conclude that the sustainability indicators built by farmers obtained similar results to those constructed by academic knowledge. This finding reveals and highlights the relevant capacity farmers have to synthesize and substantiate the sustainability of their agroecosystem based on their local reality.