Multifunctional agricultural systems: analysis of different smallholder’s perception of the conservation potential of productive agroforest systems

Abstract

This paper aimed to register the adoption of agroforestry systems (SAF) by two family farmers
at São José da Boa Morte (Cachoeiras de Macacu, RJ) which were seeking water availability
and regularization on their properties. The SAFs had the same composition in 2009. However,
after 5 years, different strategies based on their conceptions about the SAF’s potential to integrate
their activities were found. Both consider the purpose of water regularization achieved,
but only the farmer who used the system on income generation, sees the SAF as a multifunctional
system, regulating the water and increasing income, expanded the area 4 fold. The
farmer who sees the system just as environmental feature has not extended it, even aware of
its benefits. This study points the need for a participatory design of agroforestry systems, integrated
with the farmer’s realities, when taking forward a process of agro-ecological transition
and sustainable agricultural landscapes.