Agroecological transition in family agriculture: A case study in Primavera municipality, Brazilian Amazon

Abstract

Family farmers, producing a large proportion of the food consumed by the Brazilian population, seek alternative production strategies through agroecological practices owing to financial challenges. We developed an indicator system for evaluating agroecological transition potential and analyzed farmer family profiles in a Primavera Family Farmer Cooperative. Socioeconomic and productivity data were collected through questionnaires and direct observation, and an agroecological transition index was established using factor analysis. Approximately 81% of the subsistence farmers interviewed had moderate (62%) or high potential for agroecological transition (19%), had diversified production systems, and adopted a variety of sustainable agricultural practices. However, they lived with limited infrastructure and marketed products inefficiently.