Qualidade do manejo do solo e qualidade ambiental em propriedades agrícolas do estado do Mato Grosso do Sul

Abstract

Soil management quality can be assessed through various attributes; however, obtaining a comprehensive evaluation of soil quality is challenging, as we are dealing with the complexity of ecosystems. Environmental concerns on agricultural properties remain an aspect to be improved in Brazil, especially in states with strong agricultural activity, such as Mato Grosso do Sul. This study investigated soil management methods adopted by farmers on their properties, as well as environmental conservation practices and farmers’ knowledge of environmental issues. The research was conducted in four distinct stages: a comprehensive literature review, data collection from public sources, interviews with farmers, and analysis of the data obtained. Interviews were conducted on farms in the municipality of São Gabriel do Oeste, MS, to complement and validate previously collected information. The questionnaire covered a variety of issues related to property characteristics, fertilizer use, cropping systems, soil conservation, as well as information on protected areas and environmental registration. The final data analysis revealed valuable insights into agricultural and environmental practices in the region, based on information from 35 agricultural properties, distinguishing between medium and large properties according to size in hectares. It was observed that farmers have extensive knowledge of their properties, dating back to the early days of soybean cultivation or even preceding livestock farming. This facilitated access to information, unlike properties where the questionnaire was only administered to employees, typically limited to a decade or less. Regarding Permanent Preservation Areas (APPs), it was observed that the São Gabriel do Oeste region is adapting and surpassing the state average. However, it has been found by other studies that APPs and Environmental Rural Cadastre (CARs) are not always correctly implemented by farmers.