AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS IN RURAL SETTLEMENTS: APPLICATION IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF ROSANA, SP, BRAZIL

Abstract

The environmental impact of production activities are becoming more and more intense, and the environmental is signaling that it may not be able to continue to support this level of impact. It is thus fundamental to adopt new production methods in order to avoid a breakdown from the entire production and environmental system. In this context, the agroforestry system shows itself a viable alternative because it can be so similar to the natural system and allows a better balance between the soil, water, forest, wildlife, microclimate, and humans. This project was developed to education small farmers in Rosana, SP about the production concepts and techniques of an agroforestry system. Dialog between the farmers and researchers was created through a university extension program. Profiles of small farmers and the characteristics of their properties were evaluated so that the properties that would receive an Agroforestry system. After that, the plantation and the monitoring of perennial and annual cultures was accomplished with a production evaluation. It was noticed that, despite the quality of the soil characteristics, the annual species had difficulities with productivity. However, the arboreal species had good development in the four first years.