Avaliação da sustentabilidade de sistemas de produção agrícola de base ecológica no município de Nova Friburgo, RJ

Abstract

A study to assess the sustainability of ecological agricultural systems was conducted in Nova Friburgo,RJ, Brazil, in farms conducted under organic production or agroecological transition. This study was based in the System of Environmental Impact Assessment of New Rural Activities, which consists of 62 indicators integrated into an evaluation platform. It is based on the involvement and knowledge of farmers regarding to their establishment, and also considerer field and laboratory analysis on the quality of soil and water, allowing the calculation of indices of environmental performance of productive activity. Evaluation results showed that impact indexes of the dimensions “Landscape Ecology” and “Management and Administration” were the main differences between organic and agroecological transition systems. Organic farmers have greater productive diversity and dominion over the various forms of marketing agroecological transition farmers. It was evident the positive contribution of organic agriculture, especially regarding to the increased variety in production and consequently increase in the sustainability of those who are at an early stage of transition.