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- Vine Protection on Family Farms: Decision Making and Pesticide Use.Publication . Neto, Joana; Aguiar, Ana; Parente, Cristina; Costa, Cristina Amaro; Fonseca, SusanaFamily farming is defined as the one which is managed by the family and uses mostly family labor. In the north of Portugal, family farm products are primarily intended for consumption by the household, and secondarily for local sale. Grape production is in many farms the main source of income, and is the one in which the farmer is willing to apply more pesticides to guarantee the quantity and quality required for processing. However, vineyard family farmers do not always register their practices and are rarely subject to any controls. Therefore, the way in which decision-making and compliance with the rules are carried out in these farms are not known. To understand the decision-making processes regarding phytosanitary treatments of these farmers, as well as their perception and caution with the use of pesticides, a checklist-type questionnaire was applied to a sample of 109 family farmers in the NUTIII region in Portugal. Issues related to: i) sociodemographic characteristics, and ii) agricultural practices related to the vineyard protection, were analyzed. The univariate data analysis was associated with the application of a principal component analysis (PCA). The obtained results reveal that the use of pesticides in family farm vineyards is a widespread practice and that the decision making and choice of the pesticide is, in most situations, carried out without the necessary caution, technical monitoring or registration. Respondents with a higher level of education say that they are more careful about the use of pesticides and individual protection. The younger and more educated age groups are more compliant when it comes to regulatory obligations such as the registrations.
- Agricultura familiar e proteção das culturas: abordagens tradicionais e proximidade com práticas de agricultura biológicaPublication . Costa, Cristina Amaro Da; Guiné, Raquel; Esteves Correia, Helena; Costa, Daniela; Costa, Telmo; Parente, Cristina; Pais, Celso; Gomes, Mafalda; Aguiar, AnaDesde há quase um século, a proteção das culturas em explorações agrícolas familiares, tem vindo a juntar às práticas tradicionais, meios de proteção curativos para combater pragas, doenças e infestantes, em particular recorrendo ao uso de pesticidas. Estes agricultores assumem grande relevância territorial, económica e social em Portugal e a sociedade procura os seus produtos, em mercados e feiras locais, por entender que estão associados a práticas agrícolas com menores impactos na saúde e no ambiente e se aproximam do modo de produção biológico. Assim, procura-se identificar as práticas agrícolas da agricultura familiar, na componente de proteção das culturas, que podem ter impactos negativos no ambiente e na saúde humana e que se distanciam da agricultura biológica. A partir de um questionário (cheklist), aplicado a 125 agricultores familiares com explorações situadas em Portugal (Viseu, Braga e Barcelos) e Espanha (Pontevedra e Padron), identificaram-se as práticas agrícolas relacionadas com a proteção das culturas. Identificaram-se algumas práticas comuns com a agricultura biológica: diversidade cultural, consociações, rotação de culturas, seleção de variedades resistentes. Outras, como o pousio, intervenções em verde ou luta biotécnica, são utilizadas apenas por alguns agricultores familiares. Por outro lado, a luta química é utilizada pela maioria dos agricultores familiares.
- Impact of family farming practices in the environmentPublication . Costa, Telmo; Pinheiro, Guadalupe Ribeiro; Silva, Luisa; Barata, José; Aguiar, A. R. M.; Esteves Correia, Helena; Guiné, Raquel; Parente, Cristina; Costa, Cristina Amaro DaTraditionally, family farming has contributed to the preservation of biodiversity and the environment while also contributing to decrease poverty and social inequalities, especially in developing countries (FAO, 2014). Nonetheless, there has been a growing adoption of intensive agricultural practices like the widespread use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticide crop spraying by family farmers. Therefore, in this study we wanted to establish the technical itinerary of family farming, in the North and Center of Portugal, and to assess their potential impact on the environment and understand which practices should be promoted or abandoned to make family farming more sustainable and to reduce its negative impacts. To that end, we interviewed family farmers using a checklist questionnaire that included questions related to the socio-demographic characteristics of the farmer and his family, farm description, technical itinerary and perceptions towards sustainable farming practices and pesticide use risks to the environment and health. Based on the results, we were able to determine that several practices related with soil management, like liming, absence of soil/water/leaf analysis and the non-use of composting may result in inefficient use of soil nutrients and lead to inappropriate use of fertilizers. On a positive side, many farmers use crop rotation, green and animal manure, the latter originating mostly from their own farm and thereby reducing the need of non-organic fertilizer inputs. Regarding pest management, almost all farmers use pesticides on a regular basis, whilst only a minority use biological or biotechnological pest control methods, even though about two thirds of all farmers recognize pesticides to be harmful. In a significant number of cases, farmers use pesticides without respecting the legal limits and safety intervals, originating health risks to the farmers and consumers and, at the same time, contributing to endanger the biodiversity of their farms.