Sustainability of Organic and Conventional Irrigated Systems Based on Family Farming

Abstract

This study was carried out at two farms: Carcará Farm, certified by Associação de Certificação Instituto Biodinâmico, and at Estufa Limoeiro Farm, of conventional cultivation. They were located in Guaraciaba do Norte, Ceará, at the geographic coordinates 04°10’52” South, 40°49’41” West, and elevation of 885 m. The main objective of this research was to compare, based on economic, social and environmental indicators, two irrigated production systems, one organic one and a conventional. Data were collected through interviews with the farmers. Generation of jobs, added value, and the farmer’s income were analyzed as variables associated with the socioeconomic dimensions. For the environmental analysis, the biological activity of the soil was evaluated using the variables organic carbon (OC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), soil basal respiration (SBR), microbial quotient (qMIC) and metabolic quotient (qCO2). The organic cultivation system provided a generation of direct jobs per unit area three times higher than average of irrigated agriculture in the Brazilian semi-arid region, characterizing it as a system of greater social contribution. When compared to the conventional system, the organic farming system showed a lower risk associated with the economic dimension. The production unit with organic cultivation had higher environmental sustainability since the soil is in more satisfactory physical and chemical conditions for the development of microorganisms.