Avaliação dos benefícios socioeconõmicos e ambientais do cultivo do gergelim irrigado no assentamento de Canudos, em Ceará-Mirim (RN).

Abstract

The cultivation of sesame, though it is not yet largely disseminated in Brazil, can become an agricultural alternative for small and medium farmers in Rio Grande do Norte state, and therefore in Brazilian Northeast. It is a culture that has been providing functional food as well as it has shown good market prospects. However, the actual knowledge of advantages and socioeconomic and environmental benefits of that crop in the region have been little known. In Canudos Agrovilla, located in Ceará-Mirim county (RN), distant 23 km from the city hall, the cultivation of BRS Silk sesame has been carried out with spacing of 0.7 m between rows and 0.15 m between plants in a area of 0.5 ha, being 0.25 ha drip irrigated with groundwater, and the remaining 0.25 ha is irrigated with waste water from the fish tanks, using sprinkler irrigation. The total amount of plants in the experiment summed 47,620. Hence, the present work aimed to assess the socioeconomic and environmental benefits of the cultivation of BRS Silk sesame from Canudos Agrovilla in Ceará-Mirim-RN. From bibliographic studies and field experiments, the results were the following: sesame produced 20.70 g and 23.45 g of grain per plant when irrigated with groundwater and water from the tailings of fishponds. These figures are correlated to grain yield, which corresponded respectively to 350 kg and 400 kg in 0.25 ha. Thus, the net revenue produced was R $ 1,578.75 and R $ 1,978.75, respectively, in 0.25 ha, with an internal rate of return of 1.29 and 1.62. Regarding environmental issues, changes in soil fertility took place by the incorporation of macronutrients and organic matter which have grown exponentially in relation to time of use of wastewater from fish tanks. Therefore, these results indicate that this sesame cultivation should be inserted in the productive means of that county. and consequently of the region, in a way that can ensure an alternative source of income for the settlers’ families, and consequently, to improve their quality of life.