Agro forestry systems and food security among smallholder farmers of the Brazilian Amazon: A strategy for environmental global crisis

The Amazon is known for its environmental importance for the climatic equilibrium, for its abundance and richness in biodiversity and its preservation is important to reduce global heating. Nevertheless, little research has analysed the possible positive role of the local farm population for environmental conservation. The paper investigates the possibility to conciliate the environmental conservation with the small farming expansion in the Amazon, to build agrobiodiversity, and at the same time improve food security. This social practice consequently would contribute to the reduction of deforestation and could thus falsify the old diagnosis of incriminating the poor farmers for forest and soil destruction. The study was conducted by the Associação de Produtores Alternativos, localized in territory of Ouro Preto d’ Oeste, Rondônia, in the Southwest of the Amazon. The study documented a number of forest preservation and agroecological methods used and concludes that institutional support to strengthening of social organization and local sustainable development projects is fundamental for the consolidation and amplification of the ecological experiences in the Amazon

Agricultores familiares da região sul da amazônia brasileira: uma contribuição à crise ecológica global

Poucos estudos têm analisado o papel da população amazônica para a conservação ecológica da biodiversidade e para a redução dos efeitos da crise ecológica global. Esse estudo aborda experiências com Sistemas Agroflorestais (SAFs) desenvolvida pela Associação de Produtores Alternativos (APA), em Ouro Preto do Oeste - RO. O objetivo foi o de verificar se é possível conciliar a conservação ambiental com o desenvolvimento da agricultura familiar no sul da Amazônia. A hipótese é que a agrobiodiversidade associada aos sistemas agroflorestais contribui para a minimização da crise ambiental global. Essa afirmação se contrapõe ao velho diagnóstico de culpar os agricultores menos favorecidos economicamente pela destruição de florestas. O estudo documentou cultivos agroflorestais conduzidos por produtores familiares que contribuem para preservação da floresta e que são ao mesmo tempo produções utilizadas na alimentação. Entre 2008 e 2010 ocorreram problemas com a gestão financeira e ética da APA. No entanto, essa experiência social associada aos SAFs, contribuiu fortemente para o estabelecimento de uma convivência harmônica com a natureza e para a construção da identidade ecológica local, além disto, gerou segurança alimentar aos produtores familiares. Os obstáculos experimentados pela organização não anularam o sucesso da experiência com SAFs e representa simbolicamente uma resposta local à crise ecológica global contemporânea.Eje: B4 Ambiente, naturaleza y agroecología (Relatos de experiencias)Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale

Comparing organic urban consumers in developing and developed countries: First results in Brazil and France.

Despite numerous studies reporting on sustainable consumption or organic consumer profiles, there is a gap in thorough understanding of organic consumers in different places, since most of studies only investigate organic consumption in most developed countries. The goal of this paper is thus to compare French and Brazilian organic consumers, so as to know if people think and behave differently or similarly in different places. Individual interviews were conducted in each country, with consumers in organic producers market in Brazil, and consumers who buy organic products from farmers markets or local organic food network in France. Products were selected to cover examples of different choice situations such as imported organic products that compete with comparable products of local origin, or organic local products in supermarkets that compete with similar products from other distribution outlets. Results show common consumer concerns such as quality or personal and family health, and common preference for local and organic products but for different reasons. However, results also shed light on different patterns related to environmental concerns or commitment to supporting small or local farmers. The impacts of the findings of this study relate to a diversity of topics such as social mobilization for sustainable agriculture, local organic food networks and environmental concerns

Une comparaison des consommateurs urbains de produits biologiques dans les pays développés et les pays en développement : premiers résultats en France et au Brésil

Despite numerous studies reporting on sustainable consumption or organic consumer profiles, there is a gap in thorough understanding of organic consumers in different places, since most of studies only investigate organic consumption in most developed countries. The goal of this paper is thus to compare French and Brazilian organic consumers, so as to know if people think and behave differently or similarly in different places. Individual interviews were conducted in each country, with consumers in organic producers market in Brazil, and consumers who buy organic products from farmers markets or local organic food network in France. Products were selected to cover examples of different choice situations such as imported organic products that compete with comparable products of local origin, or organic local products in supermarkets that compete with similar products from other distribution outlets. Results show common consumer concerns such as quality or personal and family health, and common preference for local and organic products but for different reasons. However, results also shed light on different patterns related to environmental concerns or commitment to supporting small or local farmers. The impacts of the findings of this study relate to a diversity of topics such as social mobilization for sustainable agriculture, local organic food networks and environmental concerns

Effect of a Formulation of Anticarsia gemmatalis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus on the Predator Podisus nigrispinus (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Asopinae), Using the Fertility Life Table Parameters

ABSTRACT Two experiments were carried out in the laboratory to evaluate the effect of a formulation of the nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) of the velvetbean caterpillar, Anticarsia gemmatalis Hü bner (AgNPV), on the predator Podisus nigrispinus Dallas. In the Þrst experiment, predators were exclusively fed A. gemmatalis reared on artiÞcial diet, treated with one formulation of the AgNPV (infected prey) or with water (healthy prey) as the control. In the second experiment, an additional treatment was incorporated in which the artiÞcial diet was treated with an inactive (autoclaved) AgNPV formulation. The predators were fed on these exclusive prey during their entire lifespans for three or four consecutive generations, during the Þrst and second experiment, respectively. Daily observation of oviposition and mortality were performed to provide data for the construction of fertility life tables and to determine daily oviposition patterns and survival distribution curves. For both experiments, no adverse effects were observed in the Þrst generation. However, signiÞcant effects in the predator population were observed throughout the subsequent generations, when the predators were fed with prey that fed on infective or inactivated AgNPV diet compared with the healthy prey. The adverse effects observed might be due to some inert components present in the commercial formulation, because the AgNPV has been demonstrated to be highly speciÞc to Lepidoptera and neither does it replicate nor has any adverse effect on P. nigrispinus. The fertility life tables proved to be a good tool to measure the potential impact of biopesticides on nontarget population under laboratory conditions. RESUMO Dois experimentos foram realizados em condiç õ es de laborató rio para avaliar o efeito de uma formulaç ão comercial de Vṍrus da Poliedrose Nuclear da lagarta da soja, Anticarsia gemmatalis Hü bner (AgNPV) na biologia de Podisus nigrispinus Dallas. No primeiro experimento, os predadores foram alimentados exclusivamente com A. gemmatalis criadas em dieta artiÞcial, tratada com uma formulaç ão de AgNPV (presa infectada) ou com água (presa sadia), como controle. No segundo experimento, foi incorporado um tratamento adicional no qual a dieta artiÞcial foi tratada com uma formulaç ão de AgNPV inativada (autoclavada). Os predadores foram alimentados com essas presas exclusivas durante toda a vida por trê s ou quatro geraç õ es consecutivas, durante o primeiro e o segundo experimentos, respectivamente. Observaç õ es diárias da oviposiç ão e mortalidade foram feitas para se obter dados para a construç ão de tabelas de vida de fertilidade e para determinar os padrõ es de oviposiç ão diária e distribuiç ão das curvas de sobrevivê ncia. Para ambos os experimentos, não foram observados efeitos adversos na primeira geraç ão. Contudo, efeitos signiÞcativos sobre a populaç ão do predador foram observados nas geraç õ es subsequentes nos tratamentos com AgNPV ativo e inativado, mas não com o controle. Os efeitos adversos observados poderiam ser atribuidos a componentes inertes presentes na formulaç ão comercial do biopesticida, uma vez que o AgNPV tem demonstrado ser altamente seguro a organismos não alvos e especiÞco para lepidopteros. As tabelas de vida mostraram ser uma boa ferramenta para se medir efeitos de biopesticidas sobre diversos parâmetros bioló gicos de populaç õ es de organismos não alvo

Sistemas agroalimentares localizados: aproximando a produção do consumo através de redes sociais

sem informaçãoO atual sistema agroalimentar convencional continua fortemente sendo questionado por produzir um enorme passivo ambiental e social, abriu espaços para a transição da agricultura em direção à adoção de sistemas agroalimentares alternativos considerados maisem informaçãosem informaçãosem informaçãoXIII Encontro Nacional da Sociedade Brasileira de Economia Ecológic