Intensive Use Of Agrochemicals Research Articles

Design of a local strategy for strengthening food sovereignty: the case of the el Pedregal municipal property of Villagarzón Putumayo.

Introduction: The article discusses the evolution of global food systems, highlighting how advances in science, technology, and international markets have led to an automated food model. This model has increased food production to combat food insecurity, but has also generated significant negative impacts on the environment, communities, and human health. The persistence of food insecurity, the deterioration of arable land and the intensive use of agrochemicals are central issues. In Colombia, and specifically in Putumayo, agriculture is crucial to the economy, but faces challenges due to globalization and dependence on agrochemicals.Methods: The study focused on the department of Putumayo, Colombia, specifically in the municipality of Villagarzón and the El Pedregal farm. Adopting a social critical approach, a non-experimental and descriptive design with a cross-sectional scope was employed, using interviews to collect qualitative data. The selection of key informants was based on criteria related to economic dependence on agriculture and recognition of agroecology as an alternative method.Results: The interviews revealed a perception of food sovereignty as an expression of independence in agricultural and livestock production. Challenges identified include the need for investment and incentives, overcoming cultural barriers and the importance of effective technical advice. Technology transfer, focusing on integrated pest management and the use of on-farm inputs, was highlighted as crucial for the transition to agroecological practices. Challenges include overcoming cultural and economic constraints and the need for committed, quality advice.Conclusions: Strengthening food sovereignty in Villagarzón, Putumayo, requires a local strategy that promotes producer independence, encourages internal production, and ensures the commitment and active participation of both producers and technicians. Complementarity, understood as collective work to obtain and govern resources and capacities, emerges as a key to the sustainable development of the agricultural community. The importance of quality technical assistance and a focus on agroecology is emphasized.

Use of biofertilizers in cocoa (Theobroma cacao): a review

The intensive use of agrochemicals in recent years has led to serious environmental complications. These products are responsible for around 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, in addition to degrading the soil. Currently, biofertilizers appear as substitutes for chemical fertilizers. Biofertilizers are organic compounds that, when applied, provide almost all the nutrients necessary for crop growth. The use of organic materials as a basis to produce biofertilizers is an ecologically correct approach in the integrated management and use of waste, as they are cheap and renewable sources of nutrients for sustainable use. Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) plays an important role in socioeconomic activities in Brazil, and to ensure the success of commercial cocoa farming ventures, it is essential to use quality seedlings during their production, one of the main factors is fertilization, which is directly related to obtaining well-nourished and good-looking seedlings. In this sense, the objective of this review is to summarize the beneficial impact of biofertilizers on cocoa farming.

Flowing Through Change: Investigating the Impacts of Human Activities on Urban River Water Quality in the Kumba River, South West Region of Cameroon

This study seeks to examine the relationship between the different urban land use activities in the Kumba metropolis and the related implications on the Kumba river water quality. This involved collection of water samples from the Kumba river as well as performing laboratory tests to determine variations in the river's Physical, chemical and bacteriological properties. The parameters analyzed were temperature, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, Electrical Conductivity, odour, colour, turbidity, nitrite, nitrate, pH, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia, phosphorus, chlorine, nitrates, nitrites and some heavy metals like copper, phosphate, iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium and Faecal Coliform. Water samples were collected from five sampling points in the month of February 2023(peak dry season) and in the month of April 2023(for the rainy season). The data from the analysis of the water samples were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics, on both Microsoft Excel and SPSS. The study found that the p values were less than 0.05 at a confidence level of 95%, which suggests that the Kumba River is polluted due to the effects of different urban land use activities in the city. The water quality parameters of the collected samples showed that areas with high dependence on the river for urban activities registered significantly poor water quality, compared to samples with limited dependence on the river for urban land uses. Based on these findings, it is recommended that anthropogenic activities within the area be closely monitored as urbanization continues to rapidly occur and its effects continue to pollute the river, making it harmful not only to ecosystems but also rendering it unfit for river channel crop cultivation. Additionally, the study concluded that changes in Land Use Land Cover (LULC) between 2007 and 2023 have statistically significant effects on the physicochemical and microbial water quality of the Kumba River. Therefore, it is vital to address the rate at which forests are being converted to agricultural lands and the intense use of agrochemicals on these farms and plantations.

Changes in thermal sensitivity of Rhinella arenarum tadpoles (Anura: Bufonidae) exposed to sublethal concentrations of different pesticide fractions (Lorsban® 75WG).

The intensive use of agrochemicals and the rapid increase of global temperatures have modified the thermal conditions of aquatic environments, thus increasing amphibians' vulnerability to global warming and positioning them at great risk. Commercial formulations of chlorpyrifos (COM) are the pesticides most widely used in agricultural activities, with a high toxic potential on amphibians. However, little is known about the separate effects of the active ingredient (CPF) and adjuvants (AD). We studied the thermal sensitivity at different concentrations and pesticide fractions in Rhinella arenarum tadpoles, on thermal tolerance limits (CTmax = Critical thermal maximum and CTmin = Critical thermal minimum), swimming speed (Ss), Optimum temperature (Top), and Thermal breadth 50 (B50). Our results demonstrate that the pesticide active ingredient, the adjuvants, and the commercial formulation of chlorpyrifos differentially impair the thermal sensitivity of R. arenarum tadpoles. The pesticide fractions affected the heat and the cold tolerance (CTmax and CTmin), depending on the concentrations they were exposed to. The locomotor performance (Ss, Top, and B50) of tadpoles also varied among fractions, treatments, and environmental temperatures. In the context of climate change, the outcomes presented are particularly relevant, as mean temperatures are increasing at unprecedented rates, which suggests that tadpoles inhabiting warming and polluted ponds are currently experiencing deleterious conditions. Considering that larval stages of amphibians are the most susceptible to changing environmental conditions and the alarming predictions about environmental temperatures in the future, it is likely that the synergism between high temperatures and pesticide exposure raise the threat of population deletions in the coming years.

Amorphous silica fertilization ameliorated soil properties and promoted putative soil beneficial microbial taxa in a wheat field under drought

Increasing water demand from agricultural practices and environmental pollution caused by the intensive use of agrochemicals are among the most pressing issues concerning agriculture sustainability. The use of amorphous silica (ASi) as soil amendment can represent a valid alternative measure to cope with the upcoming challenges of intensifying drought stress and to decrease the need for phosphorus fertilizer application. In this study, we investigated the impact of two levels of ASi fertilization on edaphic characteristics and the rhizosphere microbiota of winter wheat through a field experiment conducted during a drought period. Since plant phenology plays a pivotal role in shaping crop microbiota, our research explored the response of rhizosphere bacteria and fungi to ASi fertilization at three distinct stages of plant growth: pre-planting, tillering, and ripening. Firstly, our results clearly showed an ameliorative effect of ASi fertilization on edaphic properties, with notable improvements in soil moisture, particularly at higher ASi fertilization levels. Secondly, we observed that ASi exerted a profound influence on the wheat microbiota, resulting in varying effects on bacterial and fungal communities. Specifically, in comparison to the control treatment, bacterial community composition exhibited greater sensitivity to ASi fertilization during the tillering stage, whereas the fungal microbiota displayed increased dissimilarity during the ripening stage. Notably, ASi fertilization promoted in the wheat rhizosphere the enrichment of plant-beneficial microbes with putative plant-growth promoting and biocontrol capabilities. Overall, our findings highlight the efficacy of ASi fertilization as an effective measure to mitigate drought stress, enhance the availability of plant nutrients, and promote the enrichment of beneficial microbes within cereal cropping systems.

Using microalgae to reduce the use of conventional fertilizers in hydroponics and soil-based cultivation

The intensive use of agrochemicals has led to nutrient loss, greenhouse gas emissions, and resource depletion, thus the development of sustainable agricultural solutions is required. Microalgal biomass has the potential to provide nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, along with various plant growth promoters, to enhance crop productivity and impart disease resistance. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the potential applications of microalgal extracts and biomass in the contexts of seed germination, hydroponic systems, and soil-based crop cultivation. The results revealed that the extracts from Chlorella sp. and Anabaena sp. have no significant impact on the germination of wheat seeds. High concentrations of Chlorella sp. and Anabaena sp. cell extracts in hydroponics enhanced the length of cucumber seedling stems by 81.7 % and 58.3 %, respectively. Additionally, the use of microalgal cell extracts hindered root elongation while stimulating the growth of lateral and fibrous roots. Furthermore, the study compared the performance of 5 different fertilizers: 1) inorganic fertilizer (IF), 2) organic fertilizer (OF), 3) microalgae-based biofertilizer (MF), 4) inorganic fertilizer + microalgae-based biofertilizer (IM), 5) organic fertilizer + microalgae-based biofertilizer (OM). The findings indicate that the plant growth and soil physicochemical properties in the groups supplied with different fertilizers are comparable and significantly higher than those in the control group. The levels of protein, chlorophyll A, and chlorophyll B in the MF group increased significantly by 40 %, 29.2 %, and 33.5 %, respectively, compared to the control group. However, it remained notably lower compared to groups supplied with inorganic and organic fertilizers (p < 0.05). Combining microalgae with organic fertilizer can simultaneously enhance the yield and quality of Chinese cabbage, representing a promising source of crop nutrition. In conclusion, this study suggests that it is promising to use microalgae to reduce the use of conventional fertilizers in hydroponics and soil-based cultivation.

Understanding the role of value chain formation in the scaling of crop diversification

Significant detrimental effects of agricultural intensification and specialization are becoming increasingly evident. Reliance on monocultures, few varieties, and intensive use of agrochemicals is a major factor in climate change, biodiversity decline, soil health deterioration, and pollution, putting our food system at risk. This requires sustainable agricultural processes, such as crop diversification, to be more rapidly and effectively tested, adopted, and scaled. While these processes are typically introduced at niche level, they often struggle to scale and to induce broader sustainability transitions. In this study, we investigate how scaling may occur, focusing on institutional logics, their changes, and realignment over time. In particular, we applied an abductive research strategy to collect empirical evidence from two in-depth, longitudinal case studies of innovation niches related to crop diversification. Doing so, we show for the first time that, despite their many differences, scaling processes of crop diversification in both niches converge, presenting similar progressions in terms of institutional dimensions, and facing similar obstacles when it comes to value chain formation. While initial experimentation could still be implemented using organizational forms familiar to the lead actors, we discover that a systemic lack of adequate value chain arrangements obstructed the scaling process of crop diversification in both cases. These findings have been used to reflect on the role of value chain relations in scaling processes in sustainability transitions in agriculture.

Fe, Zn, and Cu in the Organic Fraction of Soils with Different Textures Under Intense Use of Agrochemicals in Flower Cultivation

Fe, Zn, and Cu in the Organic Fraction of Soils with Different Textures Under Intense Use of Agrochemicals in Flower Cultivation

Risk of agrochemical contamination in a hydrographic basin in the matopiba region in Brazil

The intensive use of agrochemicals has been associated with global human health problems and environmental contamination. Brazil is the world’s largest agrochemical consumer, and this position highlights the growth of agribusiness in the MATOPIBA region (Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauí, and Bahia states). The use of agrochemicals is recurrent in local agricultural practices. However, there is little information on the environmental impacts and risks of contamination regarding river basins in this region. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the risk of contamination by agrochemicals in the basin area of the Açailândia River in Maranhão. From the multicriteria evaluation, environmental information plans were used to determine the trend of water behavior, infiltration, and runoff, along with agrochemical transportation. The joint evaluation of this information was used to generate the final map of the areas of contamination risk posed by agrochemicals in the region. The hydrographic basin presented high anthropization, with an increase of approximately 27% in land use and occupation by crops in the period from 1984 to 2018. The area of 1087.62 km², corresponding to 35.9% of the basin area, presented a high and extremely high risk of contamination.

Smart Strawberry Farming Using Edge Computing and IoT.

Strawberries are sensitive fruits that are afflicted by various pests and diseases. Therefore, there is an intense use of agrochemicals and pesticides during production. Due to their sensitivity, temperatures or humidity at extreme levels can cause various damages to the plantation and to the quality of the fruit. To mitigate the problem, this study developed an edge technology capable of handling the collection, analysis, prediction, and detection of heterogeneous data in strawberry farming. The proposed IoT platform integrates various monitoring services into one common platform for digital farming. The system connects and manages Internet of Things (IoT) devices to analyze environmental and crop information. In addition, a computer vision model using Yolo v5 architecture searches for seven of the most common strawberry diseases in real time. This model supports efficient disease detection with 92% accuracy. Moreover, the system supports LoRa communication for transmitting data between the nodes at long distances. In addition, the IoT platform integrates machine learning capabilities for capturing outliers in collected data, ensuring reliable information for the user. All these technologies are unified to mitigate the disease problem and the environmental damage on the plantation. The proposed system is verified through implementation and tested on a strawberry farm, where the capabilities were analyzed and assessed.

Modeling-Guided Amendments Lead to Enhanced Biodegradation in Soil.

ABSTRACTExtensive use of agrochemicals is emerging as a serious environmental issue coming at the cost of the pollution of soil and water resources. Bioremediation techniques such as biostimulation are promising strategies used to remove pollutants from agricultural soils by supporting the indigenous microbial degraders. Though considered cost-effective and eco-friendly, the success rate of these strategies typically varies, and consequently, they are rarely integrated into commercial agricultural practices. In the current study, we applied metabolic-based community-modeling approaches for promoting realistic in terra solutions by simulation-based prioritization of alternative supplements as potential biostimulants, considering a collection of indigenous bacteria. Efficacy of biostimulants as enhancers of the indigenous degrader Paenarthrobacter was ranked through simulation and validated in pot experiments. A two-dimensional simulation matrix predicting the effect of different biostimulants on additional potential indigenous degraders (Pseudomonas, Clostridium, and Geobacter) was crossed with experimental observations. The overall ability of the models to predict the compounds that act as taxa-selective stimulants indicates that computational algorithms can guide the manipulation of the soil microbiome in situ and provides an additional step toward the educated design of biostimulation strategies.IMPORTANCE Providing the food requirements of a growing population comes at the cost of intensive use of agrochemicals, including pesticides. Native microbial soil communities are considered key players in the degradation of such exogenous substances. Manipulating microbial activity toward an optimized outcome in efficient biodegradation processes conveys a promise of maintaining intensive yet sustainable agriculture. Efficient strategies for harnessing the native microbiome require the development of approaches for processing big genomic data. Here, we pursued metabolic modeling for promoting realistic in terra solutions by simulation-based prioritization of alternative supplements as potential biostimulants, considering a collection of indigenous bacteria. Our genomic-based predictions point at strategies for optimizing biodegradation by the native community. Developing a systematic, data-guided understanding of metabolite-driven targeted enhancement of selected microorganisms lays the foundation for the design of ecologically sound methods for optimizing microbiome functioning.

Agrochemicals and Shade Complexity Affect Soil Quality in Coffee Home Gardens

Soil quality can directly influence the health, yield, and quality of a particular crop species, and agrochemicals are often used to boost soil micro- and macro-nutrients. The excessive application of agrochemicals, however, is often the cause of imbalances in acidity and nutrient concentration and can cause soil to deteriorate. The presence of multiple shade trees in farmland can positively influence soil quality. Here, we evaluate the effect of agrochemical use (i.e., organic, mixed, and intensive) and shade tree complexity (i.e., sun, low, and high) on soil quality (i.e., pH, macronutrients, and micronutrients) in 56 coffee home gardens in Indonesia. We found that Al, Fe, K, and Mn were significantly higher in farms that used agrochemicals, and pH was more acidic in fields with intensive use of agrochemicals. C:N ratio and Mn were higher in soils with high shade complexity than in sun-exposed soils. The use of agrochemicals, however, is not sustainable as it increases the Al concentration and decreases pH, both of which are associated with poor coffee growth and reduced soil quality. Shade tree removal and the use of invasive, non-native species, such as eucalyptus, can also negatively influence soil quality, and thus the maintenance of complex shade cover with native trees should be prioritised.

Local Food Systems: Making Visible the Invisible Through Urban Agroecology

The world is going through the second wave of urbanization. Although cities still occupy a relatively small area, they are the main consumers of natural resources, energy and water. And in general, they depend for their food, on resources from outside. The economic and bioecological crisis such as the economic one, the social one, pandemics, war or clime change, have faced cities with unexpected problems but also with new perspectives. Likewise, the advance of industrial agriculture nearby urban areas generates other types of impacts. The intensive use of agrochemicals and synthetic fertilizers, especially in developing countries but also in developed countries, impacts the socio-environmental health of urbanites. Making visible the invisible and the immeasurable—through tools such as ecological economics–puts under a comprehensive umbrella, a set of ecological, social and economic aspects that urban societies had not perceived until now such as greening of cities, the recovery of ecosystem services and restoration of “brown lands” or the relevance of food self-sufficiency production. Urban agroecology plays a significant role to reach these ones and begins to be a real possibility to build local food systems and new ways of consumption and networks. This is a particular contribution in times of crises.

Possibility for Using Biochar for Sustainable Agriculture: a Case Study in Bulgaria

In both industrialized and developing countries, soil loss and degradation are observed at unprecedented rates and profound implications for soil ecosystem properties. In many regions, loss of soil productivity occurs despite the intensive use of agrochemicals, in parallel with the adverse environmental impact of soil and water resources. The soil types and the agro-ecological areas in Bulgaria are presented. Four samples of chernozem soil were collected and were investigated with and without biochar. The results obtained show the effect of adding biochar to the change of the pH of the soil

The Influence of Agrochemicals on Macroinvertebrate Community Structure in Various Agricultural Rivers in Jember Regency

The intensive use of agrochemicals in agricultural areas of Jember’s Regency presents a potential threat to the freshwater ecosystem’s community. The use of the benthic macroinvertebrates community may provide a key to monitor the extent of agrochemical impact to maintain valuable ecosystem services. Macroinvertebrates community structure and environmental factors were studied from September–December 2020 in Jember Regency by comparing three different types of agricultural rivers (organic, semi-organic, and conventional). Five community indices (taxa, individuals, Simpson dominancy index, Margalef species richness, and Shannon diversity index) were used to compare the macroinvertebrates community structure between sites. Using community composition and physicochemical properties (bare sediment, width, depth, water current, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen (DO), and temperature), we generated CCA triplot and correlogram plot to investigate the grouping and the correlation between variables and sites. Results on macroinvertebrate composition showed the importance of using sensitive taxa-group and community indices as an indicator of environmental changes. The family of Tipulidae, Naididae, Cysticidae, and Nereididae demonstrated relation to semi-organic agricultural rivers. Temperature and water current correlate to the presence of clean water indicator species such as Philorheitridae and Chironomidae, as observed in organic agricultural rivers. Conventional and semi-organic agricultural rivers were grouped and largely contributed by the 5 families including Ampullariidae, Pachychillidae, Baetidae, Enchytraidae, and Gomphidae. Correlogram plot suggests a complex interaction between macroinvertebrate community and environmental variables. It can be concluded that the intensive use of agrochemicals may lead to a detrimental change toward the diminished quality of freshwater community and environment.

Management of sunflower crop in Moldovan agricultural households

In the Republic of Moldova, the oilseed crop sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) occupies consistent cultivation areas (about 25 % of arable land), which is constantly growing. Trends in agricultural systems from recent decades (intensification and specialization of production), associated with intensive use of agrochemicals (pesticides and fertilizers), irrational land use, non-compliance with crop rotations etc. have led to declining soil quality, biodiversity loss, a significant increase in the incidence of diseases and pests and the vulnerability of agricultural ecosystems to climate change. In order to address the principles of sustainable and ecological agriculture, it is interesting to know in depth the current situation of biotechnologies for sunflower cultivation and the incidence and severity of pathogen attack. This paper reflects the results of analyzes conducted based on farmers’ opinion survey, focused mainly on parameters such as areas cultivated with sunflower, types of cultivated hybrids, geographical distribution of sunflower-specific pathogens, applied agricultural practices etc.

Isotherms of Adsorption of Heavy Metals in Soils and Sediments of the La Villa River Basin-Panamá

The study was carried out within the La Villa river basin (Herrera and Los Santos provinces). In these lands, great agricultural activity is developed, highlighting the production of corn, tomatoes, melons, watermelon, beans, peppers, sugarcane, meat and milk livestock. They are subjected to intensive use of agrochemicals and influenced by discharges of by-products from some industrial and agro-industrial companies located within the basin. The objective of the study was to determine by means of Langmuir isotherms the maximum adsorption of Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd in soils and sediments of areas with intensive agricultural activity within the La Villa river basin. Five soil and sediment samples were taken from producer´s farms in the rainy season (June-November 2016) and five samples in the dry season (January-April 2017). The total concentration of the heavy metal was determined. The isotherms of the trace metals in soils and sediments were determined in the samples taken at both times of the year by applying different concentrations of the metal in a CaCl2 0.01 M solution. High levels of Cu were found in soils and Cu, Mn, Cr and As in sediments. The Mn isotherm showed low values ​​and low adsorption force, Cu and Zn showed high adsorption values, but with low retention force. For Pb, high adsorption values ​​were observed, but very low retention force in the dry season, contrary to Cd, which obtained low adsorption values, but with a higher force. This behavior is closely related to the texture of the soils. The Cu, Zn and Mn showed high significant correlations with the clay content in the soil, contrary to the pH and the organic matter did not obtain a good correlation with the adsorption of the metals.

Saving environment through improving nutrient use efficiency under intensive use of agrochemicals in paddy fields

Increased environmental and economic costs of chemical fertilizers necessitates serious attention to improve nutrient use efficiency. A 3-year field investigation was conducted to assess the influence of different drainage systems on nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) use efficiency of two rice cultivars under alternate wetting and drying (AWD) strategy. The drying of the field was done through a surface drainage system (Control) and four subsurface drainage systems (D0.90L30, D0.65L30, D0.65L15; where D and L represent the drain depth and spacing, respectively, and Bilevel; in which the drains were spaced 15 m apart at depths 0.65 and 0.90 m). During growing seasons, the dry weight (DW) and N, P and K uptake of stem, leaf and panicle was monitored. At harvest, grain yield was also determined. Soil drying through subsurface drainage systems increased the DW of the panicle compared to surface drainage. On average, panicle DW in D0.90L30, Bilevel, D0.65L30, D0.65L15 and Control were 10.7%, 10%, 11.4%, 9.2% and 8.9% of the total DW, respectively. Improving soil aeration in the subsurface drainage systems increased crop production by increasing the share of nutrients in the panicle. The average share of N, P and K in panicle to N, P and K content of the total biomass in the subsurface-drained area was 11.7%, 12.9% and 8.4%, respectively, and in the Control was 9.7%, 10.9% and 7.9%, respectively. On average, the subsurface drainage systems improved rice grain yield and N, P and K use efficiency by 14.2% and 16%, 15% and 16% compared with Control, respectively. According to the results, subsurface drainage may effective for better aeration and increase in nutrient use efficiency in rice production systems.

Assessment of health risks from consumption of food crops fumigated with metal based pesticides in Gwadam, Gombe State, Nigeria

Intensive use of agrochemicals has led to build of heavy metals in the soil ecosystem and their transfer to edible parts of crops. This study was aimed to determine the heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cr, Cu and Zn) concentrations in some twenty commonly used pesticides in northern Nigeria, and health risk associated from the consumption of food crops fumigated with these pesticides as the only source of metal contamination. Heavy metals content in pesticides, food crops and soils were analyzed after acid digestion using atomic absorption spectrometry. Traces of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cr, Cu and Zn) were detected in most of the pesticides. The concentrations of heavy metals in crops fumigated with pesticides ranged from 0.33-4.68, 1.75-38.08, 0.67-16.83, 9.01-436.75, 0.17-20.80mg/kg for Cd, Pb, Cr, Cu, and Zn respectively. The mean concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Cr in all the crops were above WHO, (2019) permissible limit. Heavy metals in soils of corresponding crops were below the permissible limits by UNEP, (2013) and NESREA, (2011). Bioaccumulation factor BAF showed high BAF&gt;1 for Cu and Pb in all the studied crops,while pollution index value revealed contamination for Cd and Pb in all the studied crops. Hazard quotient showed potential health risk from the consumption of only Capsicumannuum for Pb. However, consumers may experience advance health risk through the consumption of Oryza sativa, Zea mays, Solanumlycopersicum, Capsicumfrustescens for all metals (Hazard index). Hence, there is the need for screening of heavy metals in pesticides and monitoring of metals contents in food crops.

Agroforestry systems, legislation and sustainability of small farms in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Agroforestry systems (AFS) represent an alternative to the current agricultural model, based on monoculture, mechanization, and intensive use of agrochemicals. The aim of this study was to characterize existing AFS in the Southern region of Brazil and understand how their forestry certification process is conducted by the official governmental body (SEMA-RS). Interviews were carried out with the owners of five AFS and one technical visit was made to SEMA-RS. Changes in production model resulted from a process of raising farmers’ awareness, which was observed when the main reason mentioned by farmers for implementing AFS is to ensure a healthier life quality. Another reason mentioned is that this system is economically and environmentally feasible and complies with current legislation. On the other hand, SEMA-RS facilitated the certification process by developing a simplified and quicker modality for AFS. The support of technicians and associations helps by providing access to information and to a successful production. This study confirms the effectiveness of AFS and the need to further their visibility so that they are implemented in other locations, especially in degraded areas, thus contributing with environmental preservation and with improving the health of the population, from farmers to consumers.