Traditional and cultural knowledge of peasants: Agricultural production based on empirical knowledge

Abstract

This study investigates the traditional and cultural knowledge of peasants in agricultural production, especially empirical knowledge. It focuses on contributions to the theories of Social Movements, considering the dispute in the field of knowledge and the resistance to empirical productions in areas of Agrarian Reform settlements. The objectives include analyzing conceptions of rural education, identifying traditional peasant practices, and analyzing how the MST conceives and recreates itself based on traditional knowledge. This is a bibliographic and field research, whose theoretical framework is based on authors such as Caldart (2009; 2012), Freire (1987) and Santos (2007). The field research, carried out with the leaders of the MST and peasants from the 25 de Maio Settlement and the Dom José Gomes Settlement in the municipality of Chapecó/SC, highlighted the evolution of production techniques, combined with technology and the strengthening of cooperatives, improving living conditions in the settlements. The interviews indicated a problem of non-succession of families in the lots of settlements, leading to rural exodus and the formation of small estates. Despite this, the settlements maintain experiences of resistance and the production of healthy food, such as the small farmer's market in Abelardo Luz. In the course of the research, production experiences were observed that avoid the use of chemicals and techniques that are aggressive to the soil, showing that it is possible to have income without adhering to the conventional model of production, valuing nature as an essential part of life.

DOI:https://doi.org/10.56238/sevened2024.010-058