Evaluation of an agroecosystem in agroecological transition through measurement indicators

Abstract

The work aims to analyze a history of agroecological transition of a family farming production unit through a proposal of evaluated indicators. The research is a case study, carried out in an agro-ecosystem in the rural area of Pato Branco - PR that started the agro-ecological transition in January 2018. The assessment was carried out using the methodology called Indicators of Measurement of Agroecological Transition (IMTA), created from a desire to understand how to know the level of conversion of a changing agro-ecosystem. This proposal was also created to facilitate the diagnosis of the limitations and possibilities of the consolidation strategies of the process. The result of the calculation shows the current situation of the system in which it is applied. The studied agro-ecosystem presented an IMTA corresponding to 48.88%, considered as having a high level of external dependence, requiring improvements for stability. The evaluation showed that the availability and access to essential resources, as well as the redesign of the system, were the most vulnerable aspects. The family did not reach its initial objective, which was to carry out the agroecological transition, building, through changes in management and technical itineraries, a more balanced agro-ecosystem and less dependent on external inputs. The methodological proposal proved to be competent and effective for quantifying the level of the transition, as well as pointing out the weak points that need to be strengthened.