Abstract

ASSIS, Renato Linhares de  and  ROMEIRO, Ademar Ribeiro. Agroecologia e agricultura familiar na região centro-sul do estado do Paraná. Rev. Econ. Sociol. Rural [online]. 2005, vol.43, n.1, pp. 155-177. ISSN 0103-2003.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0103-20032005000100009.

The paper analyzes the adoption of agro-ecological techniques by a group of small family farmers in a region of the State of Paraná. The sample of the farmers to be interviewed was obtained by applying a methodology of fast rural assessment and relied on the work of a non governmental organization (AS-PTA) that has the major responsible for the technological change in the region. A typology of producers and agrarian systems was obtained, which made it possible to evaluate the technological trajectories followed. A negative correlation was observed between the capitalization level of the farm unity and the adoption of agro-ecological techniques, suggesting that the latter are being introduced as a low risk strategy to improve the production conditions within a context of labor abundance and capital scarcity. The paper concludes that it is worth to support those farmers in their decision through more focused public policies (credit and scientific research).

Keywords : agro-ecological techniques; sustainable agriculture; innovation dynamics; alternative agriculture; public policies.