Este trabalho traz como tema central a realidade da agricultura e dos agricultores familiares no Brasil. A análise dessa temática parte da identificação e caracterização do modelo de modernização tecnológica adotado no contexto brasileiro. Busca-se compreender a concepção de tecnologia e de desenvolvimento tecnológico que fundamentou determinadas opções políticas e econômicas e identificar a racionalidade que permeou tal processo, visto que todo agir social traz consigo uma racionalidade que lhe é própria. Nesse itinerário de investigação são especialmente abordados alguns conceitos como "Razão Instrumental", "Apropriação" e "Inapropriação" tecnológica e mesmo tecnologia. Posteriormente é apresentada a prática alternativa de agricultura orgânica como "apropriada tecnologicamente" ao contexto da agricultura familiar e orientada segundo os princípios de uma racionalidade comunicativa. Conceito este analisado conforme a construção filosófica de Jürgen Habermas. Em seguida se busca aproximar os conceitos até então abordados com a proposição de que as práticas associativistas e cooperativistas por agricultores familiares são essenciais para a construção de espaços onde a racionalidade comunicativa se efetiva e onde tal categoria de agricultores conquista sua cidadania. A construção desse arcabouço teórico é por fim confrontada com a realização de uma pesquisa do tipo "Estudo de Caso" de uma associação de agricultores orgânicos do município de Tijucas do Sul, por nome ARUATÃ. O objetivo é analisar e perceber as dificuldades de construção de uma prática associativista e as possíveis razões que explicariam porque muitas iniciativas associativistas não prosperam, como por exemplo, a própria ARUATÃ. / This work assumes as its central issue the reality of agriculture, and specially the familiar agriculture, in Brazil. The analysis of this thematic begins with the identification and characterization of the technological modernization model adopted in the Brazilian context. Therefore, it seeks to understand the conception of technology and technological development that based the political and economic options and to identify the rationality embedded in the process, since every social action brings a rationality of its own. In this itinerary of investigation are especially used the concepts of " instrumental reason" technological "appropriation" and "unappropriation" and even technology. The alternative practices of organic agriculture is presented as "technologically appropriated" in the context of familiar agriculture and oriented according to the principles of a communicative reason, as defined by Jürgen Habermas. Next the text tries to bring together the theoretical concepts and the proposition that associative and cooperative practices by familiar farmers are essentials for the construction of spaces where the communicative rationality really works and where the farmers can conquest their citizenship. The theoretical frame is finally confronted with a "case study" research about an association of organic farmers from Tijucas do Sul, named ARUATÃ. The objective is to analyze and realize the existent difficulties in the construction of an associative practice and the possible reasons that could explain why many associative initiatives, like Aruatã, don't prosper.

Text in English / The study analysed the effects of conservation farming in Zimbabwe using a mixed methodology approach. This analysis comes against the background of the recognition that climate change, as characterized by severe droughts, has played a significant role in reducing agricultural productivity, in the process leaving smallholder farmers and the nation of Zimbabwe exposed to recurrent food insecurity. Conservation farming was introduced as a climate adaptation strategy that was aimed at improving crop yields. The study focused on assessing the association between the adoption of conservation farming and a concomitant increase in agricultural productivity. This was key in understanding if there are benefits of using conservation farming as opposed to making use of the conventional method of farming. The study also investigated the nature of conservation farming being practiced in Umguza District; this was done in order to understand whether smallholder farmers are implementing all the key principles underpinning the use of conservation farming. The study further assessed the challenges and opportunities that exist through the use of conservation farming with the aim of coming up with sustainable solutions to the challenges affecting smallholder farmers. The study went on to assess the factors that determine the adoption and maximum utilization of conservation farming. Identification of these key variables was instrumental in the design of a localized conservation farming model. Study results revealed that conservation farming is an effective method of increasing agricultural productivity. The study also established that smallholder farmers are not implementing all the key principles of conservation farming and this was attributed to the failure to include the smallholder farmers in the design of conservation farming models. It was further revealed that smallholder farmers face various challenges that include access to inputs and limited support from the government. Implications of the study highlight the need for the community to be actively involved in the design of a conservation farming model localized to the unique context of smallholder farmers. A prototype for implementing a sustainable conservation farming model was developed in collaboration with the smallholder farmers as part of a solution based approach to dealing with the challenges affecting smallholder farmers. / School of Agriculture and Life Sciences / Ph. D.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The main aim of this case study was to research the impact of the introduction of oxen for draught power on Eric Swarts’ Stellenbosch farm. The research objectives were designed to find out if the oxen helped to improve the quality of the soil, to determine their cost-effectiveness (compared to a tractor) and other social and managerial constraints and benefits associated with using them and also to make recommendations for small-scale farmers in developing countries. The literature review revealed that human society faces many serious sustainability challenges from ecosystem degradation and global warming, to massive poverty and social inequality. The global population is growing against a background of decreasing agricultural productivity due to degraded soils and the increased costs of farming. The adoption of farming methods that enhance ecosystem services and depend less on external inputs is therefore essential. Animal traction is still widely used among small-scale farmers in developing countries, but lacks policy and investment support to make it more efficient. There are currently widespread negative opinions about animal traction which regard it as a backward or old-fashioned technology. This research investigated the possibility of animal traction emerging as an affordable, environmentallyfriendly and appropriate technology for small-scale farming. The research is a case study with a qualitative, ethnographic research design in which participant observation was key in gathering research data. A cost-benefit analysis (CBA) was carried out to compare the cost-effectiveness of using oxen to either hiring or buying a tractor. The findings showed that oxen were a more cost-effective means of draught power than a tractor, not only in terms of capital costs but also maintenance and operational costs. The manure from the oxen was both an effective way of supplying crops with essential nutrients and improving soil biodiversity. The introduction of the oxen presented some challenges to the farmer concerning knowledge about how animals work and other managerial challenges, but these were overcome by learning through practice. It was found that the farmer will be able to make significant savings in soil-amendment costs and he can control the quality of the manure to suit his needs. It was concluded that small-scale farmers who choose animal traction over tractors as a means of draught power will realise many advantages in return. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die hoof doelwit van dié gevallestudie was om die impak van die ingebruikneming van osse as trekkrag op Eric Swarts se plaas te Stellenbosch na te vors. Die navorsingsteikens was ontwerp om uit te vind of die beeste gehelp het om die kwaliteit van die grond te verbeter, om hul lonendheid vas te stel (in vergelyking met ’n trekker) asook ander sosiale en bestuursbeperkings en -voordele wat met hul gebruik geassosieer word en ook met voorstelle vir kleinskaalboere in ontwikkelende lande voorendag te kom. Die literatuuroorsig navorsing het ontbloot dat die menslike samelewing met vele volhoubaarheidsuitdagings vanaf ekosistemiese agteruitgang en aardverhitting, tot swaar armoedigheid en sosiale ongelykhede gekonfronteer word. Die wêreld bevolking groei steeds ten spyte van die afname in landboukundige produktiwiteit as gevolg van verlaagde grondkwaliteit en die toenemende landboukoste. Die ingebruikneming van landboumetodes wat ekosistemiese dienste verhoog en minder staatmaak op eksterne insette is dus noodsaaklik. Dieretrekking word steeds algemeen in ontwikkelende landebenut, maar dit ontbreek beleids- en beggingsondersteuning om dit meer doeltreffend te maak. Daar is tans algemeen verbreide negatiewe sienswyse oor dieretrekksag wat dit as agterlike en oudmodiese tegnologie beskou. Dié navorsing het ondersoek ingestel om die moontlikheid van dieretrekking as ’n bekostigbare, omgewingsvriendelike en passende tegnologie vir kleinskaalboerdery vas te stel. Die navorsing is’n gevallestudie met kwalitatiwe, etnografiese navorsingsontwerp waarin deelnemerwaarneming kern is tot die insameling van data. ’n Kostewinsteanalise (KWA) was uitgevoer om die lonenheid van beeste te vergelyk met dié van of die huur of die koop van ’n trekker. Die bevindings het getoon dat beeste ’n lonender wyse van trekkrag as trekkers is, nie net in terme van kapitale koste nie, maar ook onderhouds en bedryfskoste. Die beesmis was beide ’n doeltreffende manier om die gevasse van nodige voedingstowwe te voorsien asook om grondbiodiversiteit te verbeter. Die ingebruikneming van beeste het sekere uitdagings vir die boere ingehou in verband met die kennis van hoe diere werk en ander bestuursuitdagings, maar dié was oorkom deur onderrig uit ondervinding. Daar was bevind dat die boer beduidende besparings kan maak aan grondaanvullingskoste hierdie jaar en dat hy die kwaliteit van die beesmis kan beheer om sy behoeftes dien. Die slotsom is dat kleinskaalboere wat kies om dieretrekking eerder as trekkers as trekkrag te gebruik, sal vele voordele hê.