Quintais agroflorestais de Bonito, Pará: socioeconomia e bem-estar de agricultores familiares, ecologia e química do solo.

Abstract

Given the importance of homegardens to rural communities in the Amazon, this research aimed to evaluate the role of agroecosystems in the quality of life of smallholders and land use in areas of family agriculture, in Bonito, PA. Were studied 24 properties from four rural communities in this municipality, where semi-structured interviews were used to collect socioeconomic data, which enhances the smallholders’ welfare and wellbeing. The floristic composition and structure of homegardens were studied, and the chemical attributes of soil from four land use systems. Tools of descriptive and multivariate statistics were used for data analysis. The results showed that the adoption and management of homegardens are influenced by factors Socioland-ownership, Reproductive and Purpose of the homegarden. The smallholders showed a low level of schooling, average family income, satisfactory housing quality and high degree of wellbeing, about his life and agricultural activities. Family income did not influence the wellbeing of these smallholders. The homegardens established in Bonito are managed with low technological level, being composed mainly of fruit species, that are part of the feeding habits of smallholders. These areas showed low similarity, richness, diversity and abundance. Cocos nucifera was the most important species in the tree structure of the homegardens. Homegardens, agricultural monoculture and silvopastoral systems are similar to secondary forest in relation to nutrient cycling, with the exception of one homegarden with 35 years of use, which achieved better levels of P and K. The fertility of soils was explained by three factors: nutrients and salinity of soil (P, K, Na), soil acidity and aluminum toxicity (Ca, Al, Mg, pH) and soil organic matter (OM). The management of agrobiodiversity of homegardens can be better managed, to allow the increase of wealth and abundance of commercial species, improved soil chemical properties, to increase the fruit production, and to contribute for food security smallholders in the Amazon region.