Políticas Públicas e Agricultura Familiar: Um Estudo de Caso no Território Rural São Mateus em Minas Gerais

This paper aimed to present the results of research carried out by Nucleus of Extension in Territorial Development (Nedet) about implementation and operationalization of universal public policies involving family farming in São Mateus Rural Territory, Minas Gerais State. In addition, it is intended to briefly describe about territorial approach of development that originated the Rural Territories Program and the difficulties in the operationalization of universal public policies in local contexts, taking as a practical example the policies studied in that Territory. As methodology, it was used a qualitative approach through bibliographic search, and semi- structured interviews as technique of data collection in the field. Public policies found several impediments for its implementation and showed minor contribution to the productive inclusion and territorial development in the evaluated period, mainly due to the absence of participation and to the inefficient dialogue among family farmers, entities that represent them, and the municipal governments

Various perspectives about Dry Forest landscape of Santana da Serra, MG, Brazil: relations between soil-vegetation and ethnoecology

Esta tese se constitui de uma pesquisa sobre as formas de interpretação da paisagem cárstica de Santana da Serra (Capitão Enéas, Norte de Minas Gerais), que apresentou como objetivos: 1) Compreender as Florestas Estacionais Decíduas como comunidades vegetais estratificadas, pressupondo que seus aspectos fisionômicos, florísticos e estruturais variam seguindo gradientes ambientais na paisagem em escala local e regional; 2) Identificar as variáveis edáficas que contribuem para a formação do gradiente local e testar a hipótese de que a composição e estrutura da vegetação variam em função de atributos do solo; e 3) Compreender como a comunidade local distingue os ambientes naturais e manejados que compõem a paisagem e se apropriam dos recursos vegetais nas diferentes unidades ecológicas. Para tanto, utilizou-se grande variedade de métodos de pesquisa nas áreas de Pedologia, Ecologia e Etnoecologia. No gradiente ambiental da Serra de Santana, foram identificadas quatro fitofisionomias distintas: 1) Campo rupestre sobre afloramentos calcários de topo, onde foram amostradas 33 espécies (H =2,86); 2) Floresta Estacional Decídua (Mata Seca) de escarpa calcária sobre Cambissolo, onde foram listadas 32 espécies (H =2,76); 3) Mata Seca de encosta coluvial sobre Nitossolo Vermelho, onde foram registradas 34 espécies, (H =2,84); e 4) Mata Seca de baixada sobre Latossolo Vermelho com murundus, onde foram amostradas 47 espécies (H =3,31). No total, foram listadas 102 espécies e 33 famílias, sendo Fabaceae a mais rica (27 espécies). A composição de espécies e a estrutura da vegetação variaram entre as fitofisionomias, seguindo gradiente influenciado por variáveis edáficas. Por um lado, as variáveis pH, P, Na, Ca, SB e CTC se relacionaram a solos jovens nos topos e escarpas da serra. Por outro lado, os vetores Argila e H+Al se associaram a solos mais intemperizados como os Nitossolos da encosta coluvial e os Latossolos das baixadas. O campo rupestre sobre calcário representa formações relictuais de períodos secos passados e os Latossolos com murundus sustentam florestas decíduas diversas e de grande porte que remetem a períodos úmidos durante as flutuações climáticas quaternárias. Do ponto de vista etnoecológico, os agricultores e vaqueiros possuem amplo conhecimento sobre a paisagem local, incluindo características da vegetação, solos e ciclos naturais. Foram identificadas nove unidades de paisagem usadas como fonte de recursos vegetais pelos agricultores e vaqueiros de Santana da Serra: 1) Lajedos; 2) Serras; 3) Pés-de-serra; 4) Baixadas; 5) Vazantes; 6) Catanduvas; 7) Mangas; 8) Roças e 9) Quintais. No total, foram registradas 233 plantas reconhecidas como recurso para 11 categorias de uso. O rico conhecimento sobre plantas alimentares e sua alocação preferencial nos quintais, refletem formas de manejo adaptativo que contribuem para soberania alimentar e conservação da biodiversidade. A distribuição desse conhecimento entre as unidades ecológicas, que apresentam diferentes potenciais utilitários, revela estratégias de uso múltiplo da paisagem. Portanto, é possível interpretar e compreender a paisagem local, bem como suas formas de apropriação pelas pessoas, considerando tanto a diversidade disciplinar acadêmica quanto o conhecimento local.This thesis is configured as a research about the interpretation of Santana da Serra (Capitão Enéas, North of Minas Gerais) karst landscape, which presented as objectives: 1) Understand the Seasonally Tropical Deciduous Forests (STDF) as stratified plant communities, assuming that its physiognomic, floristic and structural aspects vary along environmental gradients in the landscape in local and regional scale; 2) Identify the edaphic variables that influences local gradient and to test the hypothesis that vegetation composition and structure vary as a function of soil attributes; and 3) Understand how local community distinguishes natural and managed environments on the landscape and how people use plant resources in different ecological units. For this purpose, we used a wide variety of research methods in the fields of Pedology, Ecology and Ethnoecology. In Santana da Serra environmental gradient, were identified four distinct physiognomies: 1) Top limestone outcrops xerophytic vegetation, where 33 species were sampled (H =2,86), 2) STDF on a limestone escarpment Cambisol, where 32 species were listed (H =2,76), 3) STDF on colluvial slope Nitosol, where 34 species were recorded, (H =2,84), and 4) Lowland STDF on Latosol (Oxisol) with murundus , where 47 species were sampled (H =3,31). A total of 102 species and 33 families were listed of which Fabaceae was the most representative with 27 species. Species composition and vegetation structure varied among the physiognomies along a gradient influenced by edaphic variables. On the one hand, pH, P, Na, Ca, SB and CEC were related to young soils on the tops and slopes. On the other hand, Clay and H+Al were associated with more weathered soils such as the colluvial slope Nitossols and the lowland Latosols. The xerophytic vegetation on limestone rock represents relictual formations of past dry periods and the Latosols supporting highly structured and diverse deciduous forests refers to wet periods during the Quaternary climatic fluctuations. From an ethnoecological standpoint, farmers and cowboys/herdsmen presents a wide knowledge about local landscape, including natural cycles, vegetation and soil characteristics. We identified nine landscape units recognized as a source of plant resources by farmers and cowboys/herders: 1) Lajedos (limestone outcrop xerophytic vegetation; 2) Serras (escarpment forests); 3) Pés-de-serra (colluvial slope forests); 4) Baixadas (lowland forests); 5) Vazantes (riparian forests); 6) Catanduvas (lowland forests early sucessional stages); 7) Mangas (pastures); 8) Roças (tilth, arable lands) e 9) Quintais (homegardens). A total of 233 plants recognized as a resource were recorded for 11 use categories. The richness of food plant local knowledge and its preferential allocation in homegardens, reflect adaptive management strategies that may contribute for food sovereignty and biodiversity conservation. The distribution of knowledge among the ecological units, which have different potential of use, reveals strategies related to multiple use of local landscape. Therefore, it is possible to interpret and understand the local landscape, as well as its forms of ownership by the people, considering both the disciplinary diversity academic and the local knowledge.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superio

Etnociência da Ciência: a busca por simetria na pesquisa científica

Science aims to study all phenomena of our planet, helping us to understand the reality. From an institutional point of view, science is a collective organization consisting of research objects and researchers who exhibit belief (kosmos), knowledge (corpus) and practice (praxis) systems strongly influenced by the knowledge produced within the scientific community. This juncture is poorly understood, despite having a strong influence on the worldview transmitted by science for the whole society. In this context, this article defends the need to develop an ‘Ethnoscience of Science’, which could ensure the possibility for the scientific community to be studied scientifically.A ciência tem por objetivo estudar todos os fenômenos de nosso planeta, auxiliando-nos na compreensão da realidade. Do ponto de vista institucional, a ciência é uma organização coletiva constituída por objetos de pesquisa e sujeitos pesquisadores que exibem um sistema de crenças (kosmos), saberes (corpus) e práticas (práxis) fortemente influenciado pelos conhecimentos produzidos dentro da própria comunidade científica. Essa conjuntura humana é pouco compreendida, apesar de exercer forte influência na visão de mundo transmitida pela ciência para toda a sociedade. Nesse contexto, o presente artigo defende a necessidade de se fazer uma ‘Etnociência da Ciência’, a qual garanta a possibilidade da comunidade científica ser estudada cientificamente.La ciencia tiene como objetivo estudiar los fenómenos de nuestro planeta y nos ayuda a comprender la realidad. Desde el punto de vista institucional, la ciencia es una organización colectiva que consiste en objetos de investigación y sujetos investigadores que exhiben un sistema de creencias (kosmos), conocimientos (corpus) y prácticas (praxis) fuertemente influenciadas por el conocimiento producido dentro de la comunidad científica. Esta coyuntura humana es poco conocida, a pesar de tener una fuerte influencia en la visión del mundo transmitida por la ciencia para la sociedad. En este contexto, el presente artículo defiende la necesidad de hacer una ‘Etnociencia de la Ciencia’, que asegura la posibilidad de la comunidad científica ser estudiada científicamente

Ethnoscience of science: the search for symmetry in scientific research

Science aims to study all phenomena of our planet, helping us to understand the reality. From an institutional point of view, science is a collective organization consisting of research objects and researchers who exhibit belief (kosmos), knowledge (corpus) and practice (praxis) systems strongly influenced by the knowledge produced within the scientific community. This juncture is poorly understood, despite having a strong influence on the worldview transmitted by science for the whole society. In this context, this article defends the need to develop an ‘Ethnoscience of Science’, which could ensure the possibility for the scientific community to be studied scientifically

Proximate composition and characterization of the vitamins and minerals of dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) from the Middle Doce River region – Minas Gerais, Brazil

This study aimed to determine the chemical composition and the vitamin, carotenoid, and mineral profile in dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) collected from the Middle Doce River region (Médio Rio Doce) in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. To accomplish this, the physicochemical parameters, such as titratable acidity, pH, and soluble solids were determined, in addition to the evaluation of the plants’ proximate composition (moisture, ash, proteins, dietary fibers, and lipids). The vitamin E, carotenoids and vitamin C were determined by HPLC and the minerals were analysed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. The T. officinale samples presented a low content of macronutrients, a total energy value of 27.88 kcal.100 g−1 FW, a high fiber content (3.7 g.100 g−1 FW), low levels of total vitamin E (43.67 μg.100 g−1 FW), total carotenoids of 11.95 g.100 g−1 FW, and did not present vitamin C in detectable levels. The mineral analysis revealed a high concentration of iron, manganese, copper, zinc, and selenium, and small amounts or traces of aluminium, cadmium, nickel, and chromium. In conclusion, T. officinale was shown to be an important source of nutrients, especially fiber, iron and manganese