Avaliação aliação de Aspectos Sociais, Ambientais e Econômicos de propriedades orgânicos em São Jor Jorge e D’Oeste-PR

Abstract

In the present study we propose a procedure to develop and apply a questionnaire for the appraisal of the quality and condition of life of small farmers. Basically, the procedure consists in listing aspects/questions, with the participation of rural experts, relevant to characterize the small farm in terms of environmental, social and economic health. From the listed aspects, the more relevant are selected and grouped into questionnaire forms. Another signature of the procedure is that both a local rural expert and the small farmholder himself fill out the questionnaire independently at the same time, during a visit of the interviewers to the small farm. Using a group of 20 small organic farmers located in the county of São Jorge D’Oeste in the state of Paraná, Brazil as target, a questionnaire was elaborated together with local rural experts and applied to collect data about this small farms conditions. As a result, the data obtained showed that while answers to social aspects/questions filled out by small farmers and the local rural expert were very similar, the answers provided by small farmers and the rural experts to the environmental and economic aspects were notable different. Therefore, more elaborated methods or better structured questionnairesare needed to the appraisal of small farmers social conditions. Methods not based in informal conversation with the between the expert and the small farmer are the most promising.