Relato de experiências com sistemas agroflorestais em unidades familiares do Semiárido Paraibano: entre a convivência e as mudanças climáticas.

Abstract

Since the beginning of the colonization process in the Caatinga regions, the predatory extractivism of the natural resources of soil and vegetation are common characteristics of agricultural production systems. In this way a change in the way of production is necessary, given that the current climate changes are a warning to the fact that ecosystems are no longer supporting the agricultural model that has been practiced. For this, models of land use with sustainable practices based on Agroforestry Systems (SAFs) are an alternative to improve this change. Thus, the present study aims to evaluate the dynamic organization of family agroecosystems in the semiarid region of Paraiba, including SAFs, as a response to the climate change process and desertification contributing to the improvement of the socioeconomic conditions of agricultural families. Four experiments of family agroecosystems were evaluated, being the one in the Trincheiras Farm in PatosPB, focused on animal production and agroforestry systems, two more in the municipality of São José do SabugiPB, where the first is in Nova Conquista Farm and has an Agroforestry System and the second in the Paquetinha Farm that is focused on water abstraction and soil management. And the other in the municipality of Santana dos GarrotesPB in the Curral Velho Farm aimed at animal husbandry, forage storage and degraded area recovery. It was found that the SAFs studied directly contribute to the dynamics and productive sustainability of the rural properties where they are inserted, guaranteeing to the agricultural families food security and an increase in the family's monthly income. Regarding farmers' perceptions of the effects of climate change and desertification, it was observed that the main effect attributed to climate change is the irregularity of rainfall in the region, which causes the prolongation of drought periods and the increase in temperature, with the relation desertification the main effect was the loss of soil fertility. The three main measures taken by farmers to mitigate these effects were the storage of rainwater, the recovery of degraded areas and the restoration of native vegetation.