Michelle Bonatti1, Larissa H. I. R. Homem2, Marcos A. Lana3, Stefan Sieber3, Sandro L. Schlindwein2, Ana Carolina F. de Vasconcelos2, Luiz R. D’Agostini2, Alfredo C. Fantini2, Sérgio R.Martins

Martins2Federal University of Santa Catarina, Research Group on Environmental Monitoring and Appraisal – NUMAVAM, Florianopolis, Brazil, The Leibniz Centre for

Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Institute of Socio-Economics-Muncheberg- Germany INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

Guaraciaba (located in West of Santa Catarina State, Brazil) is a municipality being studied as an important reference

about adaptation strategies development and improvement, key factors for rural development.

The municipality has an area of 331.1 km2, with an estimated population of 11,000 inhabitants, of whom 60.5% live in

rural area. There are more than 1500 families dedicated to raise cattle, swine, and to produce maize, tobacco and subsistence

crops on farms with average size of 18.0 ha.

In this study case, farmers and agricultural technicians developed the KIT agrobiodiversidade (agrobiodiversity kit), which

contains different species of crop landraces (traditional varieties), usually better adapted to the region and probably more

resistant to climate variability (specially drought). It is considering a clear initiative to adapt to extreme climate events. For this

reason, a study about how the social-economic aspects and the familiar dynamic influences the adaptation process to climatic

extremes events was carried out in this locations.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under Grant Agreement N° 212492 (CLARIS LPB. A Europe-South America Network for Climate Change Assessment and Impact Studies in La Plata Basin).

http://www.claris-eu.org/

METHODOLOGYMETHODOLOGY

In this social structure study, the subjective nature of the theme demanded a mainly

qualitative methodology. The aspects (questions) were used to organize semi-structured

interviews to obtain the following data:

oHow is the organization of the rural family?

oWhat are the techniques and activities that influence the adaptation process?

oWhat is the social support network in Guaraciaba?

oHow is the history line of this families?

oInquiries about socio economic aspects investigated using SCAla methodology.

Criteria to establish the number of interviews:-More than 30% of the families of producers of landraces seeds.-Data sufficient to show collective symbols and representations of the research social actors.

Family Commercial Production and self-

consumption

Size and Land

Access

Important events in the past Social support

network

Family Priorities

1 Milk, vegetables, corn, beans, fruits (all

they need to for self-consumption)

11.7 hec.

Proprietary

Daughter leaved the parent’s house.

The greatest agricultural losses.

Neighbors

Parents.

Land

Aviary

House

2 Milk, corn, beans, potato(all they need to

for self-consumption)

13.6 hec

Proprietary

Graduation of their son.

The difficulties to survivor.

Neighbors

3 Milk, swine, corn, beans, (all they need to

for self-consumption)

29 hec.

Proprietary

The possibility to study (years ago).

The greatest agricultural losses.

Neighbors Property infrastructure

Health plan

Tractors

4 Milk, cane syrup (all they need to for self-

consumption)

8 hec.

Proprietary

Parent’s death Community

Brothers

House

Financial support to their daughter

Health plan

5 Milk, corn (all they need to for self-

consumption)

45 hec

Proprietary

The difficulties to survivor Parents House

Car

6 Milk, corn (all they need to for self-

consumption)

12hec

Proprietary

Tornado Neighbor

Parents

House

House and faculty for their sons

Son chirurgy

7 Milk, corn (all they need to for self-

consumption)

12,7 hec.

Proprietary

Extremes climatic events

Daughter leaved the parent’s house

Civil

defense

Closet

Television

Living room

8 Milk, corn (all they need to for self-

consumption)

13.7 hec

Proprietary

Extremes climatic events

Birth sons

Neighbors Car

House

To travel

9 Milk, corn (all they need to for self-

consumption)

20.8 hec

Proprietary

The difficulties to survivor

Son leaved the parent’s house

Neighbors

Son

Tractor

Land

Financial support to their son

10 Milk, corn (all they need to for self-

consumption)

20 hec

proprietary

The improvements brought the

landrace

Neighbors House

Car

furniture

Economical aspects: the seeds of landraces are much less expensive than the

industrial varieties, and in many cases they are obtained through an exchange

system among the farmers. As important factor in the rural family economy stands

out that households produce almost everything they consume (Table 1)

Cultural aspects: the landraces are part of the traditions, and some varieties are

being cultivated by the same family for generations as a heritage. As social support

network to the community structure where neighbors are cited as references in the

maintenance and dissemination of Landraces (Table 1)

Environmental aspects: the landraces, though the lower yield, are more

adapted to local conditions, require less inputs like fertilizer, are less affected by

pests, diseases, sometimes resist to drought, and usually perform well in

intercropping systems; As result, farmers don’t invest so much money in seeds and

other agricultural inputs, and the production cost is relatively low, being very cost-

effective. Farmers also relate that, although yields are lower compared with hybrid

varieties, the yields of landraces are more stable throughout the years.

Concerning the social structure, and despite the important role played by

landraces in the local agricultural systems, the region is still characterized by a youth

migration to urban centers. This situation is associated to complex relations

networks involving not only land use or climatic changes, but also public policies

that could improve life quality in smallholders areas.

SOCIAL STRUCTURE AND ADAPTATION: LOCAL STRATEGIES TO FACE CLIMATE VARIABILITY IN GUARACIABA - SC, BRAZIL.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONRESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Table 1. Agricultural characteristics and family history of constitution