Environmental management in small olericultural properties: assessment and prioritization of environmental damage

Abstract

Some inappropriate cultivation practices can promote negative consequences to the physical, biotic and anthropic environment. Horticulture plays an important role in both food production and income generation. The objective of the study was to identify environmental damage through analysis of the environmental aspects of vegetable production activities and to propose a prioritization of these damages using the severity, urgency and trend prioritization matrix (GUT Matrix). The method was applied in three small farms. After using the GUT matrix, it showed that for each rural property the damage management priorities were different. The priority in the management of environmental damage on rural property 1 is related to the water reservoir, the damage on small property 2 is on the health and occupational safety of workers and the damage to be prioritized on vegetable property 3 is related to loss of productivity. In this context, it demonstrates the need to know and prioritize environmental damage in small rural properties to improve the environmental management process and introduce management tools for management.