Os sistemas de produção de hortaliças agroecológico e convencional na comunidade de Conchas Velhas - Ponta Grossa/PR

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze the features of conventional and agroecological vegetable production systems in the Conchas Velhas community, located in Ponta Grossa – Parana, highlighting their importance to the permanence of farming families in the countryside. The conventional pattern is predominant in Brazil, which is based in synthetic inputs throughout the productive chain – agroindustrialization – and commercialization, intensifying natural resources usage and environmental impacts. Alternatively, there are developing agroecological projects that use ecological inputs and biological processes. In order to investigate how the vegetable cultivation in the Conchas Velhas community happens, this qualitative research was developed through theoretical studies, semi structured interviews with farmers, as well as visits to the production units for photographic records and knowledge enhancement on the analyzed systems. Some factors can be noticed, such as the easiness of land management through the usage of agricultural inputs, and the conventional farmer’s unawareness about agroecological systems, which were both key factors to the conventional vegetable production practices. On the other hand, agroecological farming families participate in farmer market and school meal public programs, besides having organic products certification. These are elements that lead those families to develop the agroecological production system. As a conclusion, both systems revealed to be fundamental to the permanence of the families in the countryside.