Diagnosis of the sustainability of agro-ecosystems

Conventional economic analysis based on the cost-benefit ratio is insufficient and inadequate to define the sustainability of complex systems such as agroecology. To talk about the topic, the Working Group on Agroecology of the IEA’s Research Group on Philosophy, History and Sociology of Science and Technology will hold the debate Monitoring Sustainability of Family Systems in Agro-ecological Transition on November 18.

The speaker will be agronomist Gabriel Bianconi Fernandes, technical advisor of AS-PTA Agricultura Familiar e Agroecologia. Moderation will be in charge of Hugh Lacey, a former visiting professor of the IEA, and Pablo Mariconda, coordinator of the research group. With live streaming over the Internet, the meeting will take place from 8 am to 11 am in the IEA Events Room.

The debate will explore the methodology for the diagnosis of agro-ecosystems developed by AS-PTA since 1990. AS-PTA is a civil non-profit association that works to strengthen family agriculture and promote sustainable rural development in Brazil since 1983. The experience accumulated by the organization over the years helped to check the contribution of the agro-ecological approach to face the great challenges of agricultural sustainability by farming families. AS-PTA operates in various networks of civil society aimed at promoting sustainable rural development.

The methodology incorporates the timeline of the agro-ecosystem and the territory to which it belongs, the valuation of the full product and not only its marketed part, the relationship with the markets, social participation, gender equality, income generation and access to public policies, among other topics.