This paper aimed at the evaluation of social, economic and environmental features arising from practices by APROFAM (Mossoró Agroecological Producers Association) family farmers, who commercialize their production at the Agroecological Fair, intending to analyze whether or not such practices provide sustainable development of family-based agriculture. Aiming at this, dialogue interviews were conducted with six producers involved in APROFAM who commercialize their production on weekly basis. Data were obtained through in loco visits, photographs and qualitative-quantitative data collection between January and March 2012. Despite the creation of the fair having granted market access and enabled producers' self-organization to acquire participative certification, more diversified production and an increase in family income, therefore promoting the permanence of the families in the countryside, challenges to be overcome could be noticed, as 75% of interviewed subjects aren't able to account their production costs or measure the commercialized quantities. There still are insufficiencies in technical advice and hydric availability, among other issues, which preclude strengthening of this social organization mode.
Agroecology; Sustainability; Countryside
