A adoção de práticas agroecológicas e orgânicas em assentamentos da reforma agrária em São Paulo/SP.

Abstract

Access to public policies has historically been denied to family farmers. However, through the pressure of social movements with the public authorities, we have been experiencing in the last decades the creation of policies such as the Food Acquisition Program (PAA) and the National School Feeding Program ( PNAE), focused on this sector. Agroecology has been stimulated by these programs, directly or indirectly, through incentives such as higher prices for organic and / or agroecological products. The agrarian reform settlements have also inserted agroecology into their production, seeking a change in agriculture made in these spaces. The objective of this work was to observe the agroecological practices existing in settlements in the state of São Paulo that had access to PAA and PNAE. The interviews were conducted through semi structured scripts in 25 settlements, totaling 496 interviews with settled families. The results show that the Technical Assistance and Rural Extension (ATER) in these settlements is reduced and does not serve the family farmers well. Still, 69% believe that it is possible to produce without the use of pesticides, and 45% already produce organic products. It was observed that 90% of farmers use between 10 and 29 agroecological practices in their lots. In view of this situation, it is noted that in these settlements there is a broad process of agroecological transition, with potential to expand, but it is necessary to maintain public policies that support this process.