Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: BRUNA RAQUEL TORQUATO PINHO

Uma banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : BRUNA RAQUEL TORQUATO PINHO
DATE: 01/11/2024
TIME: 13:30
LOCAL: google meet
TITLE:

TERRITORIALITY AND AGROECOLOGY: THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIATORS IN THE TRANSFORMATION OF RURAL SETTLEMENTS IN RIO GRANDE DO NORTE

TERRITORIALIDADE E AGROECOLOGIA: O PAPEL DOS MEDIADORES
SOCIAIS NA TRANSFORMACAO DOS ASSENTAMENTOS RURAIS DO RIO

GRANDE DO NORTE

KEY WORDS:

agroecology; social mediation; territory; politica ecology.

PAGES: 60
BIG AREA: Ciências Sociais Aplicadas
AREA: Planejamento Urbano e Regional
SUMMARY:

This thesis investigates the work of social mediators and their agroecological influences in the Mato Grande and Assu-Mossoro territories, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, between the years 2023 and 2027. The central objective is to understand how the processes of social mediation, carried out by organizations, social movements and state agents, contribute to the territorialization of agroecology in the rural settlements of these territories. The research proposes to analyse the political logics and projects that guide the actions of the social mediators, mapping their trajectories and identifying the direct and indirect impacts in terms of sustainability, agricultural production and community organization. It also discusses how the link between farmers and mediators takes place in the daily life of the settlements, revealing the challenges and opportunities of this process. In its theoretical development, the research dialogues with the fields of political ecology, agroecology and social mediation, from a decolonial and counter-hegemonic perspective, with an emphasis on the particularities of Latin America and on contesting the dominant logics of agribusiness. From this point, it investigates the dynamics of resistance in settlements against the advance of agribusiness and corporations, as in the case of the expansion of wind farms in the Mato Grande territory, and the relevance of initiatives such as the Xique-Xique Solidarity Commercialization Network in the Assu-Mossoro territory. Methodologically, the research adopts a qualitative approach, with on-site visits, semi-structured interviews and participant observation in the selected settlements. The study territories were chosen based on the work of social mediators who have different forms of intervention, allowing for a comparative analysis of their influences. The data collection will also include the application of structured questionnaires, enabling a complementary quantitative analysis that reveals correlations between the type of mediation received and the practical results in the productive and social dynamics of the settlements. The partial results show that the presence of social mediators focused on agroecology, such as feminist movements, NGOs and universities, has contributed significantly to the resilience of rural communities, highlighting the protagonism of farmers, promoting political autonomy and access to public policies. Mediation strengthens sustainable production and provides alternatives to the development model imposed by agribusiness. In other words, settlements that are more articulated with social movements have greater social cohesion and more consolidated agroecological practices. On the other hand, settlements with closer ties to the state or private companies face greater difficulties in implementing agroecological practices, showing the influence of different actors on territorial development. We conclude that social mediation is a determining factor in the implementation and consolidation of agroecological practices in the territories studied. The articulation between farmers and social mediators enables the territorialization of agroecology and strengthens rural communities in defending their rights and ways of life. The research therefore contributes to understanding territorial dynamics and reinforces the importance of an integrated approach between public policies, social mobilization and agroecology.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - 1715135 - JOANA TEREZA VAZ DE MOURA
Interno - 3214278 - LEANDRO VIEIRA CAVALCANTE
Externa à Instituição - SILVIA APARECIDA DE SOUSA FERNANDES - UNESP