Agroecology versus Pesticides: the resistance of sustainable cultivation in the country that uses pesticides to the most

Abstract

Agroecology was introduced in Brazil in opposition to the system until then adopted, known as agribusiness, which is based on monoculture and the systematic use of pesticides. Agroecology seeks to adopt practices that integrate the socioeconomic and environmental dimensions, respecting each agroecosystem. Over the years, policies to encourage and promote agroecology have been achieved, however, with the rise of the ultra-right government in Brazil, several setbacks have occurred, directly impacting the development of this system. Thus, this study aims at to propose a reflection, based on the social, institutional, and legal evolution of Brazilian agriculture, on the conflicting coexistence of these two production systems. There is an unfavorable scenario for the development and expansion of agroecology in Brazil and a strong institutional uncertainty at the national level. Thus, the agroecological movement remains a resistance in the face of the increasingly powerful and organized model.