Knowledge and taste that comes from the land: the experience of ecological farmers in Central Territory of Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

There is an increasily use of practices based on agroecological principles to produce cleaner
and fairer food. Through these principles, many participatory tools are used with the intention
of enabling farmers to innovate ways to exchange science and knowledge, providing a cultural
interchange that respects each other. To purpose of considering these processes, the present
paper intends to describe the experience with the Farmer to Farmer methodology (CAC) and
its contributions to guarantee a quality of life for the farming families and the production of healthier
food to the consumers in the Central Territory of Rio Grande do Sul. NEA-UFSM was the
facilitator of this knowledge socialization, in order to introduce other farmers in agroecological
practices. This aspect allowed the understanding that the use of participatory methodologies
is essential for agroecological research and extension. These practices admit that the actors
involved in the rural environment are inserted in the process of construction and acquisition of
knowledge.