Fighting with the rice: building agroecological knowledge and peasant resistance in the Settlement Filhos de Sepé at Viamão – RS

Abstract

The process of construction of Agroecological knowledge has been helping peasants to strengthen the management of their resource base by creating synergy between different forms of knowledge production and social dynamics in local development. This paper aims to reflect on how the construction of Agroecological knowledge by the families settled at Viamão dialogues with the process of repeasantization proposed by Ploeg. The Settlement has existed since 1998, in the district of Aguas Claras, at Viamão municipality, in the state do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. There are 376 families living in it, coming from 115 cities in the state and representing a diversity of experiences in relation to agriculture, forms of production and cultures. It is the largest settlement of agrarian land reform in the state, with 9,450 hectares, from which 2543.46 hectares are allocated to the Wildlife Refuge Banhado dos Pachecos. That conditions the families to produce organically since 2008 by a decree of the State. Despite the challenges, the Settlement is currently recognized for the agroecological production of rice. We interviewed nine families who were directly involved with the planting process and the data were analyzed in light of the theories used, in order to identify perceptions, discourses and practices. Although the transition process is recent, the narrative of families can be seen that involvement with ecologically-based agriculture has been more suitable for the peasant condition,allowing the families to expand their autonomy and improve quality of life in various contexts. There is a State recognition of the relevance of Agroecology and family farming, devoting to these specific public policies that facilitate the processes of transition and integration of products in the markets. However, the performance of the State regarding the reading and implementation of environmental legislation, have contributed to the reproduction and expansion of a context of restriction on the use of resources, endangering the work and way of life of families. Although there are divergent positions between families, even doe their engagement in the agroecological transition has been influenced by a statutory requirement, their permanence has been a choice.