Video series on agroecology in the frontier between forest and agriculture

As part of a transdisciplinary collaboration, a new video series explores the experiences of agroecological farmers in Zona da Mata, Brazil. Through the eight videos, the farmers share their work, vision and reflections on this approach to agriculture that uses ecological principles to develop sustainable and resilient farming systems that are also socially equitable.

Agroecology is an approach to agriculture that seeks to understand and work with natural ecological processes. It combines principles across disciplines to promote agricultural practices that are environmentally friendly, economically viable, and socially equitable.

“Our research in the Zona da Mata aims to support the transition to agricultural ecosystems capable of providing a better quality of life and conserving natural resources,” explains Heitor Mancini Teixeira, one of the research leaders and an assistant professor at Utrecht University's Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development also leading teaching on the topic within the Global Sustainability Science Bachelor's.

Transdisciplinary and participatory research is especially important in applied food systems research. “The challenges facing farmers are too complex to be understood by a single or few disciplines,” he says. “In my research on agroecology, I actively involve farmers, their knowledge and perspectives in the research process”.

The challenges facing farmers are too complex to be understood by a single or few disciplines. In my research on agroecology, I actively involve farmers, their knowledge and perspectives in the research process.

Through his research, Mancini Teixeira has shown that agroecological management practices promote biodiversity and ecosystem services while maintaining adequate crop productivity. He has also shown that social movements have allowed farmers to share knowledge and develop a more complex understanding of ecosystem functioning and services. In turn, this deepened understanding is associated with more sustainable and diverse farming systems, reinforcing the importance of farmers' knowledge and social movements for achieving successful transformations.

The research went beyond academic papers. “As farmers are the ones managing the agroecosystems on the ground, it is also important to hear from their perspective how they developed their systems, their challenges and the role they see for researchers”. This is why the research team produced eight videos, each focusing on a different agroecological experience of a local farmer. The videos show how agroecological principles are translated into practices and the strategies that are adapted and adopted by farmers in the process.

The video series Agroecology in the frontier between forest and agriculture: so that all beings may have life in abundance is freely available to be used as educational material and also to inspire other farmers and society in general.

What matters is the surplus: the logic of peasant economy

Edmar is an organic and agroecological peasant family farmer from the municipality of Araponga, Minas Gerais who considers himself a descendent of the Indigenous Pury people. Edmar uses the plant residues from trees, green manure and forest litter to give life to the earth, whose health he monitors carefully. He does not use external inputs for coffee production, which ensures - according to him - more surplus. In this other economic logic, growth as a human being is not indicated by money, but by the production of high-quality food for family and other people. Edmar currently sells part of his coffee to the religious Japanese institute Shumei (the “buyer”), which supports natural agriculture.

We must know who we are and unite: we are not “agro”, we are family farming!

Renata and Adriano are agroecological peasant family farmers and members of the union of Divino, Minas Gerais. They explain how the acquisition of their own land (before, they were sharecroppers) was important for the autonomy and health of their family as it meant they could stop using agrochemicals. They identify diversity, social movements, partnership, the union, healthy food, soil conservation, water conservation, reduction of costs and the peasant identity as key factors in the struggle to strengthen family farming and agroecology.

Monoculture is hunger!

Vicente Lopes is an organic and agroecological peasant family farmer from Araponga Municipality, Minas Gerais. To him, coffee monoculture means hunger and the diversity brought by agroecology satiates the hunger. He understands it is not per se necessary to plant trees to restore an area, but because nature is wise, if we make the earth function properly, more trees will come in. He has never used poison (pesticides) and invites everybody to walk barefoot over his land to feel the vibration. 

Agroecology is abundance and we learned to dream with the movement of women

Solange and Nilson are agroecological and organic peasant family farmers. They live on the Agroecological farm “Recando das Serras”, in Espera Feliz, municipality of Minas Gerais. For them the agroecological transition is a gradual process, and the diversity and quality of life and nature can provide sustainability. According to Solange, it’s with the Movement of Women that she learned how to take care of Mother Earth, to have her own dreams and to value the paradise where she lives.

Agroecology is life and science is power: practice and theory must go hand-in-hand.

Sr. Nenem, or Niuton Lopes, is an Indigenous Pury agroecological peasant family farmer from Araponga, Minas Gerais. According to him, Araponga is the last place of resistance of the Indigenous Pury people. He recognizes three main types of power: the Church, science, and the government. Sr. Nenem has participated in the Union of Rural Workers since the beginning. To him, the union’s function is to help landless farmers to conquer their own land. The Collective Land Conquest, organized by the Union, already settled more than 300 families in Araponga. “Who loves the earth, wants to see life in it”, he says! To Sr. Nenem, living in the countryside was a choice!

Agroecology is freedom and the struggle is constant

João Lima is an agroecological peasant family farmer and member of the union of Espera Feliz, Minas Gerais. He cultivates diversity and takes very good care of his animals. Lima actively participates in the local market of family farmers and is a member of the Union of Family Farming, founded with the support of the CEBs. He acknowledges the importance of the movement and partnerships to achieve necessary transformations, including transformations of ideas.

Living in the countryside is an option and not an obligation: popular education is a tool to promote the agroecological transition

Rural Youth Group Pastoral da Juventude members Sávia Dutra, Renata Andrade, William Apoleando Lopes and Guilherme de Souza enjoy the countryside and believe it is important to strengthen the identity of the rural youth, which goes through understanding the class struggle and not letting yourself be fooled. According to them, overcoming the use of pesticides, building an independent solidary economy, developing social technologies, respecting popular wisdom, understanding nature as sacred, and having access both to formal and popular education are crucial for the agroecological transition and to overcome male chauvinism.

Agroecology is revolution and collective work is celebration

“Floriô” Organic Certification Group members Gilson, Luciente, Gilberto, Luciana, Gilvânia, Anacleto, Solange and Nilsinho share their experiences with organic agroecological production. Their main motivation is to produce healthy food for all beings in a way that respects Mother Nature. Soil restoration, marketing and publicity are some of the challenges they face, while collective work and biodiversity are strengths. They feel that the successes of agroecology are not publicised enough because they are not of interest to the capitalist system.