THE EARTHSCAN READER IN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
EDITED BY JULES PRETTY
EARTHSCAN 2005
PART XII
PART V: PERSPECTIVES FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Perspective 24: Sustainable Rural Life and Agroecology, Santa Catarina State, Brazil by Sergio Pinheiro
Summary and introduction
This case study analyses and summarizes a sustainable development experience based on agroecology developed by the Ecological Farmers Association of the Hillsides of Santa Catarina State (Agreco), an NGO in southern Brazil. One of the main characteristics of this ecological system is that it considers not only the organization, management and control of the bio-physical systems (called ‘production systems’ or ‘hard-systems’), but also aims to understand and develop the interactions which characterize more abstract and complex systems (called ‘soft-systems’), particularly the human relations and the sustainable development of the territory in which ecosystems operates.
This experience was initiated by people who were born in the territory but, like most Brazilians, migrated to cities. Many of these ‘new urban people’ stayed in contact with relatives and friends who remained behind and began to take advantage of a development opportunity that started with the sale of organic products produced in the territory. They realised that agroecology and organic farming could be the basis for a philosophical and methodological development strategy for the small farmers living at the hillsides of Santa Catarina State.
Consequently, Agreco was formed, initially involving an organized network of several small agroindustries which were created to process and add value to the primary organic products and to assist with marketing. Other development actions and projects soon complemented the initiative:
v A rural tourism project, consolidating relationships between rural and urban people and creating new income opportunities;
v A credit cooperative, offering an alternative to the official financial system to which small family farmers often do not have access.
In addition, two important forums were organized: the Solidarity Economy Forum, bringing together urban consumers and rural producers, and the Hillside Development Forum, involving stakeholders interested in collective action for sustainable development in the region.
History and characteristics of the territory
- The region is characterised by hilly topography with altitudes varying from 400 to 1800m above sea level, offering a variety of climatic conditions and vegetation types.
- From a sustainable development perspective, these characteristics offer opportunities for the creation of natural parks, intensification of agroecotourism and other environmental management projects.
- Most villages share similar problems and characteristics: a small population, a traditional rural economy and a location far away from the main roads, tourist and urban consumer centres.
- Today, agriculture is the main economic activity of approximately 80% of the families, particularly small farmers.
- From the early 1960s, agriculture experienced its first transformation process with the partial modernization of the tobacco crop.
- By the early 1990s, this partial modernization process was resulting in negative social and environmental impacts: rural exodus, poverty, urban violence, environmental degradation, health problems and other socio-environmental effects reaching levels never before observed in the region.
- In an attempt to obtain another source of income as a result of the tobacco crisis, many farmers launched into intensive pig and poultry production systems designed and controlled by large agroindustries.
The foundation of Agreco and the ecological development option
Agreco is a civil non-profit organization (an NGO which includes mainly local people but also some ‘foreigners’ based in Santa Rosa de Lima. The organization aims, through agroecology and organic agriculture, cooperation, solidarity and team work, to contribute to the transformation of the production systems of its associated family farmers (from chemical to organic systems), to add value to production through processing and marketing, to consolidate relations between rural and urban people and to create new income opportunities through rural ecological tourism, technical and administrative assistance, farm management advice, and access to financial resources as well as facilitating and motivating the organization of family farmers groups and small agroindustrial units.
- All associates must develop agroecological systems and promote sustainable management on their farms.
- Two important Forums were organized: the Solidarity Economy Forum, approximating urban consumers and rural producers, and the Hillside Development Forum, which involves both urban and rural stakeholders interested in collective action for sustainable development in the region.
Sustainable development based on agroecology
Agreco’s ideology for sustainable development based on agroecological systems and solidarity is placed in the context of the socio-environmental crisis experienced by modern agriculture. Agreco’s approach aims to develop agricultural policies and systems moved by cooperation and solidarity instead of competition and individualism. It also seeks to associate traditional agricultural practices still applied by family farmers in the region with sustainable development principles and ecological knowledge accumulated by science over recent decades. To this end, Agreco has established partnerships with the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), with the Scientific and Technological Council of Brazil, with the Ministry of Rural Development, with the Government of Santa Catarina and with other stakeholders and several Municipal Governments in the region.
In 1997, the first organic production system of legumes, honey, grains and fruits involved 20 families and about 50 people associated with Agreco. Later, other organic production systems were organized, expanding Agreco’s operational territory, including more families and diversification of production. By 1998, Agreco included about 200 associates and involved 50 families. Today there are now about 500 associates, involving over 200 families.
This increase in associates was stimulated by the organization of a network of 53 small agroindustries financed by the National Programme to empower Small Family Farmers (Pronaf), through loans particularly designed to meet the requirements and capacities of small family farmers. The network was constructed with a view to processing and adding value to the various primary organic products, as well as to facilitating marketing and creating jobs for family farmers. There are now 27 agroindustries processing horticultural products, jam, tinned food, sugarcane brandy, honey, milk, eggs, free-range chicken and bread providing 206 jobs to 120 families. A further 299 jobs from another 120 families have been provided in the primary organic production. Most primary production units are in the transformation process from conventional to organic systems while all agroindustries have been operating in the organic system since the beginning. In August 2001, the First Organic Products Festival of the region was held.
- The network of agroindustries is coordinated and assisted by a central support unit providing management and technical advice to the individual agroindustries, particularly in the planning of the marketing and production process.
- The network of agroindustries has been very important in reversing the economic stagnation of the area and in the consequent provision of new job alternatives for family farmers.
- Organic products are now being sold in more than 10 supermarket chains, the volume increasing every year.
The sustainable rural life project
Drawing on Agreco’s experience, in January 2001, the Sustainable Rural Life Project was implemented with technical and financial support from the National Service for Support of Small and Medium Business (Sebrae Nacional, group of private enterprises with informal links to the Government). This project aims to consolidate the new sustainable development process in the hillsides of Santa Catarina offering theoretical and methodological references by which similar initiatives in other regions of Santa Catarina and Brazil can be oriented. The focus is the development of a learning support process aiding the training of Agreco’s associates as well as other interested people.
This project is subdivided into six subprojects (or thematic topics): (1) interest-raising; (2) learning (including training); (3) organic production and processing; (4) market and marketing; (5) implementation of quality control, management and quality certification processes; and (6) agritourism, communication and culture. The towns of Santa Rosa de Lima and Anitapolis are the main participants, but others are also included. The first year of activities was based on awareness raising; consolidating the Agreco label (through self-certification) as a synonym of quality and ecological production; and in diversification and expansion of the marketing process through the definition of a policy stating the basic principles and rules for the conversion from conventional to organic systems.
- The overall aim is to increase the Agreco system through cooperation with other farmers’ organizations and to create a network for marketing organic products throughout Brazil.
- The aim for 2002 is to sell half of Agreco’s production in the institutional market (mainly schools) and through consumer organizations but also to consolidate the price policy based on production costs.
- Schools offer not only a potential market but also a learning opportunity for children and their parents, who will hopefully become well-informed consumers.
Agrotourism as a means to create new income opportunities and bridge
the rural-urban gap
- Since 1997, Agreco has been encouraging family farmers to start agritourism activities on their farms.
One of the chief benefits of the agritourism association, Acolhida na Colônia, is the creation of new income and employment opportunities for many family farmers in the region, particularly for women and young farmers, who are usually the first to migrate to cities. Another important benefit is the consolidation of relations between rural and urban people, with the latter increasingly visiting the region to know the producers and where and how they live, but also to ensure that the products they are buying and eating are effectively organic.
The credit cooperative: Access to finance for family farmers
The hillsides development forum: From individualism and competition to collective action and solidarity
The solidarity economy forum: Expanding the system’s boundaries and approximating urban consumers and rural producers
Lessons learnt, results and outlook
During its five years of existence, Agreco has promoted positive impacts in both environmental conservation and in job and income generation as well as in improving the socio-economic outlook and the enthusiasm of the family farmers who live in or have commitments in the territory. Other positive impacts have been observed in terms of the methodologies related to the joint management of the network of small agroindustries (each run by a group of families). However, the project has faced some difficulties. Only about half of the 53 initially planned small agroindustries have been set up. The main reason behind this is that the principle source of financial support for these agroindustries is Pronaf, which uses the traditional banking system, the requirements for which many small family farmers cannot fulfil.
The 27 agroindustries involve 120 families (out of 211 originally expected in the 53 agroindustries) and generate 505 new part-time and full-time jobs. These are important results for a territory characterized by small villages but represent just a small indication of success given the employment and income requirements of the whole country. A very positive aspect which can be observed is the change of attitude of most farmer families and local and regional leaders towards the regional development. From accommodation and resignation to economic stagnation and rural exodus, these actors started observing new economic alternatives as well as new jobs, revenue and development opportunities and income generated from these activities has usually been sufficient to cover family needs, with other non-farm activities only being occasionally necessary.
In this context, the option for collective action and organic agriculture systems as the main sustainable development strategies deserve to be highlighted and Agreco is presently expanding its operational activities over the whole region. Despite some initial inertia to change, and thanks to the example of the original success of the project, the willingness and enthusiasm of associates to work in groups, and trust amongst associates and other interested actors and stakeholders has increased.
The expansion of activities over the hillside region generated operational difficulties but also helped to promote collective action, particularly in cultural exchange and agritourism activities as well as in primary organic production, processing and marketing. New markets are now being investigated and created, including the expansion of the student organic meals and delivery of organic baskets in urban centres, together with sales through local fairs and regional supermarkets chains. The potential for commercialisation on the international market is also being investigated and discussed together with the possibilities for certifying products for the overseas market with internationally accepted certification bodies which operate in Brazil (such as Ecocert).
However, Agreco’s policy is not to expand throughout Santa Catarina State or other Brazilian regions. The idea is to serve as an example and interact with other farmer and consumer associations, each one with its own particular characteristics but operating as part of a larger organized network linked by the same interest in agroecological principles and sustainable development.
Agreco is an ecological farmers’ association that has attracted the attention of institutions and people from all over the country and from overseas. It has become a reference of success for similar initiatives aimed at constructing sustainable development based on agroecological systems and collective action. During its five years of operation, the project has received support from many governmental and non-governmental organizations, but a key to its success is doubtless the enthusiastic participation of local and regional leaders who have promoted the interaction among institutions and stakeholders. The methodologies and principles used to develop Agreco’s system have been systematized in order to serve as a reference for the implementation of similar experiences in other regions or countries. Methodologies have been based on the principles of agroecology, sustainability and solidarity as well as on the concept that human beings must be the main actors of their own history.
In synthesis, Agreco’s experience has validated organic production and ecological principles, together with an organized net of small businesses as a basis for a sustainable development project. It has also empowered both the family farmer and the urban consumer who together constructed the sustainable life project.
Perspective 25: Lessons of Cuban Resistance by Peter Rosset and Martin Bourque