Ba theory applied in clay pot irrigation for smallholder farmers in brazilian Eastern Amazon

Abstract

The objective of this work was to apply the theoretical “Ba” of knowledge management in the “Ba” space, having as its place of evolution the Technological Reference Unit (TRU) with clay pots that reuse rainwater to keep crops irrigated with clay pots on rural properties, in the Eastern Brazilian Amazon. Installed in 2016 in the community of Lavras in Santarém, being a place frequently visited by those interested in learning about the technology. The irrigation has low energy consumption, as the rainwater is distributed to the pots by gravitational force and it is possible to diversify agricultural crops, types of arrangements and different strategies to provide new financial gains for rural producers, due to the possibility of production in dry periods. The TRU is a space where research, teaching, extension and rural producers work in evolutionary partnership. The analysis of main components showed that farmers significantly expanded their knowledge, adding quality of life and improving family income, after installing IrrigaPote. The location is typical of a “Ba” space with sustainable collective learning, pointing out indicators in the social, environmental and economic scope, which can be replicated by rural family-based farmers interested in the efficient use of water, in irrigated crops anywhere in the world terrestrial.