The aim of this work was to make an analysis of natural resources at Ayres de Souza Irrigated District sited in Acaraú basin, Ceará, Brazil. This study was performed through an agro ecological sustainability index (ASI). The approach was based on 33 cross-over form applied to small farms located in the irrigated district. Factors Analysis/Principal Components Analysis were applied to select the sustainability indicators of the irrigated district as well as to define the agro ecological sustainability index. The results showed that the Index is capable of demonstrating clear differences among productivity unit management system with respect to sustainability. 60% of the pooled productivity units presented weak sustainability and the other 39.4% were unsustainable. The dominants factors of the Index were: level of agricultural management practices, family agriculture, framework of irrigation and alternative income source.
Factorial analysis; sustainable agriculture; environmental impacts
