Extension and assistance to the agroecological transition in fruit and vegetable producing families

Abstract

Description of the support provided by an extension group of students and teachers from the National University of Luján in the agroecological transition of family farming organizations, in the territory of the districts of General Rodríguez and Luján, province of Buenos Aires. We have worked with the Unión de Trabajadores de la Tierra (UTT) since 2015 and assisted the agroecological transition process with families related to the Far West Regional Rural branch of the Movimiento de Trabajadores Excluidos (MTE) from 2018 onwards, a transition driven by the increase in the price of industrial inputs, agrochemicals, and the general increase in the cost of living. To support the transition, UNLu students and teachers carried out workshops and theoretical-practical training on the conceptual bases of agroecology, the harmful effects of the use of chemical pesticides and different agroecological practices. The emphasis on the contents of the workshops was determined by the demands of the producing families, who expressed the need to focus on biopreparations. Demonstrations of its preparation were carried out and “recipes” were disseminated, seeking appropriation by families for incorporation into their production systems, an objective that was achieved with some biopreparations. Awareness of the importance of transcending the substitution of industrial inputs was an aspect that both groups could not develop in depth. Tests of green fertilizers, biological corridors and application of biopreparations were also carried out. The results were evaluated by the perception of the producers and by scientific evaluations. Apart from the substitution of inputs, the families identified the land rental situation as the main obstacle to developing the transition.