Participatory evaluation of soil management and crop health in the Povos da Mata Agroecology Network/BA
Ecological soil management, agroecology, sociotechnical networks.
The Participatory Conformity Assessment Organism (OPAC) of the Agroecology Network Povos da Mata has played a fundamental role in the lives of 850 families in the state of Bahia, Brazil. Through the peer visit tool, they have ensured exchanges of experiences, carrying out the maintenance and exchange of knowledge of agroecological-based agricultural techniques. Participatory methodologies for evaluating soil quality and crop health are still little employed in the region. The objective of this work was to evaluate the productive units (UP) of certain organic farmers, sharpening their perceptions regarding to different soil management techniques, using participatory methodology, in the context of the Participatory Guarantee System (SPG). A semi-structured questionnaire was applied, and the rapid evaluation system of soil quality and crop health was used in 5 UP. A vision of the analyzed UPs was obtained, and possible interventions to be made in each case were discussed. The participants evaluated the tool as viable for use in different contexts, requiring only a few adaptations. The obtained results contribute to amplify the farmers perception about the agroecosystems.