Potentialities, Advances and Challenges Involving Biodiverse Agroforestry Systems and Families Settled in the Municipality of Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul State

Abstract

The union and efforts of different institutions, with the aim of finding alternatives to solve the problems and strengthen family agriculture with agroecological principles, has been shown to be an outlet for rural development. The development of Biodiverse Agroforestry Systems (SAFs) offers an alternative capable of meeting the prospects of multifunctional agriculture. However, there are still many challenges to its consolidation, especially when implemented in rural settlements. This study aimed to analyze SAFs developed with four families of rural settlers in the region of Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul. Through semi-structured interviews, the aim was to examine the viability of these systems from the perspective of the multifunctionality of agriculture, raising beyond their productive results and their environmental, social and cultural impacts. The families' view on their productive systems and what they can aggregate was the element that prevailed in the data collection, in addition to the observations made in visits in the areas of SAFs. As a result, it was found that most families consider that the income generated after the implantation of SAFs is greater than that obtained previously in the same area. In addition, the degree of importance attached by farmers to the different environmental and social benefits of these SAFs was also examined.