Technology transfer and knowledge building in the implementation of agroforestry systems with family farmers of Caroebe, RR

Abstract

The Caroebe municipality, located in south of Roraima state, has the largest source of income
for banana production. When faced with marketing problems, producers requested support
for the development of other crops. Embrapa proposed the implementation of Agroforestry
Systems (SAFs), which is a form of agricultural and forestry production that tries to get as
close as possible to the dynamics and structure of a natural forest. For the implementation of
these systems in the areas of COOPARFAC farmers, awareness-raising meetings were held
first and after this phase, the theoretical-practical courses began, and the third phase of the
project began, the choice planting areas. In 2011, the planting of the seedlings was carried
out, guided by the SAF sketch established for each area, and according to the implementation
schedule of the species. The techniques were passed by the practical implementation of activities,
using the technology transfer strategy to practice along with the farmers, so that they learned effectively the sequence of works to be developed. Aiming at validating the adoption of
technologies in the implementation of SAFs on the properties of family farmers associated with
COOPARFAC, in 2013, a questionnaire was applied evaluating the success of the technology
transfer strategy in the process of knowledge construction. The results from the project can
be considered as very good on all aspects and especially with respect to the income increase
of the family farmers and the environmental preservation, demonstrating that the technology
transfer strategy of practicing together used in this project of implantation of SAF’s is efficient
as a way of Building Knowledge