Using associative methods for the development of agroecológical indicators. An approach from southern Chile

Abstract

In Región de Los Ríos, southern Chile, organic agricultura occupies 2,6% of the national organic
certified area, in where agroecological farms are scarce. For this reason, sustainable
farmers face different productive problems. By applying a modified methodology namely “Taller
del futuro”, farmers’ perceptions were collected in relation to common productive problems
within their farms. After wards, these productive problems were associatd with agroecological
principles, which were previously defined. Using both, farmers´perceptions, as well as agroecological
principles, key problems were identified leading to the creation of agroecological
indicators and sub-indicators which were used for diagnosing, and then, for evaluating the
agroecological reality within Región de Los Rios. The current study, showed several regional
problems, such as lack of an agroecological-farming design, lack of technical-practical knowledge,
limited seed access and low associativity between farmers.