The role of the MST in strengthening family farming

experiences in the Eli-Vive Settlement through fieldwork and participant research

Abstract

The peasantry plays a fundamental role in the sustainable production of food in Brazil, such as the Landless Rural Workers' Movement (MST), which contributes significantly to the supply of tables throughout the country. This study aims to analyze family production with the implementation of agroecological practices, highlighting the experiences of families in the Eli Vive settlement in Londrina, Paraná, with the school as a space integrated into the community. As a methodology, we carried out fieldwork in the settlement to observe and collect data related to the cultivation of the families involved in sustainable food production, as well as the construction and maintenance of a cooperative in the community itself. The results show that the cultivation practices and care for the land adopted by the families in the settlement serve as an inspiring model for the agricultural sector, challenging the predominant view of agribusiness. These families stand out as important producers of organic food, including rice, beans, corn, coffee, vegetables and dairy products. These practices point to the viability of more sustainable agriculture, which not only provides high-quality food, but also promotes environmental preservation and the valorization of rural communities. We conclude that it is possible to achieve sustainable production, but emphasize the need for an agrarian reform that values the space and community relations built by the farmers. Family production in the Eli Vive settlement represents a form of resistance to the advance of agribusiness, which is gaining more and more ground in contemporary society.