AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS
Agroforestry systems are practices used by traditional communities that combine agricultural crops and/or animals with forest species in the same area. These systems promote agrobiodiversity, environmental conservation, environmental health, food security and income generation. Each crop or species is planted taking into account its ecological needs, resulting in an environment that meets the demands for nutrients, water, light and space. Agroforestry systems are not only management techniques, but also agroecological practices that contribute to the conservation of biodiversity, soils and waters in tropical regions.
PROBLEM SOLVED
Some agricultural practices of traditional communities involve the removal of forest cover to open new areas for cultivation and often use fire management as a method to eliminate vegetation and make nutrients from ash available for crops to be planted. However, these practices can result in soil degradation, reduced fertility, changes to soil biology, and loss of the capacity to maintain and reproduce water cycles and biodiversity.
In addition, many traditional communities have their territories overlapped by strictly protected conservation units, which imposes restrictions on the management of forest cover and land use. In this context, agroforestry systems emerge as a viable solution, offering a production and management system that allows for the maintenance and strengthening of ecosystem resilience, as well as their sustainable reproduction. These systems reconcile agricultural production with environmental conservation, promoting practices that preserve biodiversity and natural resources, while meeting the needs of traditional communities.
SOLUTION ADOPTED
Agricultural arrangements based on agroforestry systems (SAFs) are adopted as alternatives for vegetation management, avoiding forest suppression and promoting soil fertility, maintaining agrobiodiversity and increasing the multiple uses of agroecosystems. These systems combine trees or shrubs with agricultural crops and/or animals in the same area, simultaneously or in temporal sequence, providing sustainable and efficient use of the land.
To implement AFSs, we carry out integrated and dynamic diagnoses of the biophysical environment, the agricultural area and the family decision-making system, considering the intrinsic aspects of the systems involved. Knowing the socioeconomic environment and its environmental appeals is crucial to identify existing potential and bottlenecks. In this context, it is essential to understand the production chains of inputs aimed at consolidating AFSs, especially the production chain of fruit tree seedlings and forest species, which plays a relevant role in the process of implementing and consolidating these systems in the region.
The solution adopted includes support for the implementation and maintenance of agroforestry systems in the traditional communities of Quilombo da Fazenda, in Ubatuba/SP, and Quilombo do Campinho, in Paraty/RJ, through joint efforts, led mainly by young people. In addition, we conduct visits to agroforestry systems as a means of sharing and building knowledge about their management.
To facilitate the management of AFSs and reduce the arduousness of the work, we have acquired specific equipment and tools. We have also acquired seedlings and other elements necessary for the recovery of agroforestry systems impacted by events resulting from the climate crisis.
RESULT ACHIEVED
The adoption of agroforestry systems (AFS) has generated significant results in several areas, promoting sovereignty and food and nutritional security for the communities involved. The implementation of these systems has contributed to the generation of employment and income, providing sustainable economic opportunities for local families.
In addition, AFS have played a crucial role in the defense of territory and sociobiodiversity, protecting traditional areas and promoting the conservation of ecosystems. The production, dissemination, reproduction and use of greater biodiversity, including phytotherapeutic plants, have been widely encouraged, resulting in crop diversification and strengthening environmental resilience.
Another important result is the strengthening of the reproduction and maintenance of traditional knowledge. Through the practice of AFS, communities have been able to preserve and transmit their cultural and agricultural practices from generation to generation, ensuring the continuity of their ways of life and the appreciation of their cultural heritage.
These results demonstrate that SAFs not only promote environmental sustainability, but also strengthen social cohesion and community autonomy, contributing to fairer and more balanced development.