Sustentabilidade de sistemas de produção de olerícolas sobre manejo orgânico em unidades familiares, na Região Serrana Fluminense

Abstract

The historical rebuilding of the organic horticulture, in the Fluminense Highland Region, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, particularly in the counties of Petrópolis and São José do Vale do Rio Preto, aimed to bring together elements capable to explain some phenomena relating to development of the local agroecosystems, from consultation to documents and interviews with farmers and other persons chosen because of personal and professional experience in the organic movement. Most of the production units certified by the Biological Farmers Association of the State of Rio de Janeiro (ABIO) it develops the organic horticulture, about 180 producers, in properties of four hectares, on average, mainly in the counties of Petrópolis and Nova Friburgo, while to smallest amount of producers in the county of São José do Vale do Rio Preto. The organization of the productive chain must consider that the organic horticulture is a diversified activity, small-scale, low value added, carried out by family farmers widely distributed in the territory. This requires complex logistics of production, processing, marketing, transportation and distribution. The process of management of the organic production has been presenting progresses and retreats in the search of collective solutions. In 1979, the manifest ‘Food without poison' was published. In 1980, the first point of sale of organic products appears. In 1981, the Consumers Cooperative Association of Environmental Harmony – Coonatura - it structures a nucleus for the production of ecological foods, in the county of Petrópolis. In 1984, the Letter of Petrópolis was elaborated, during the II Brazilian Encounter of Alternative Agriculture. In 1985, ABIO was founded, in the city of Nova Friburgo. In 1986, Coonatura enlarges the organic production. The associative system of conversion of the conventional production systems to organic management was based on the co-leasing of the land, manure supply, seeds, payment of daily rates, overtime and commission on production for farmers, who were advised by an own body of technical assistance. The Eco-92 was important to articulation of the organic movement. In 1993, Coonatura counted on 2800 associated consumers, central marketing and supply of home delivery service. In 1994, Coonatura and ABIO created the Ecological Fair of Gloria. In 1999, the Association of Organic Producers of Black River Valley was created, that it started to sell organic products with own mark in supermarkets. Thus, the organization of the system of production and marketing of organic vegetables grown by only a point of sale (1980), passing for a structure with several points (1993), specialized fairs (1994) and service demand through the commercialization in supermarkets (2000). The organic movement, particularly the horticulture, has been learning and taught some lessons: institutions managed by idealistic people need of technical assistance, continuous training (formal and informal) is central, new productive and institutional arrangements of solidary character must be developed and strengthened partnerships. The history of organic horticulture has roots in associationism between producers and consumers, which has enable the improvement of the family farmers' quality of life, in the Fluminense Highland Region of the Rio de Janeiro State.