Motivations and limitations on construction of an agroecological transition process in the Cachoeira settlement in the municipality of Itapura, São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

Agroecology emerged as a set of scientific and traditional knowledge that aims to make the transition from the conventional agriculture model to sustainable production systems. This new way of thinking about agroecosystems is a way to guarantee healthy food with social inclusion, recovery of traditional values and valuation of family production and environmental conservation, however, it requires a phase of transition. Thus it was analyzed the main motivations and limitations of the producers of the Cachoeira settlement in the construction of the agroecological transition process in the city of Itapura, São Paulo. The study was a qualitative research divided into two stages, in the first one it was applied a semi-structured questionnaire for reality diagnose and in the second stage a meeting with the methodology of the storm type of ideas to survey the motivations and limitations for the agroecological transition in the settlement. The study allowed us to understand that, despite not meeting the prerequisites understood as necessary for the agroecological transition process, families have sought to build, based on their reality and with their resources, new strategies to build a process of change to achieve autonomy, improving the environment and quality of life.