Comparative evaluation of local and scientific knowledge on soil characteristics in agroecosystems of the Oziel Alves III Settlement Project, DF

Abstract

The objective of this work was to verify similarities and differences between local and scientific knowledge by interrelating local and scientific indicators of soil quality. The research was based on the “InPaC-S” and “Scientific Validation of Empirical Indicators” methods. The study was carried out in the Oziel Alves III Settlement (DF) in nine areas: three with successional agroforestry management in the initial stage, three with successional agroforestry management in the secondary stage, and three with conventional management. Semi-structured interviews and a scientific validation workshop were conducted with farmers and Embrapa researchers. 143 ethnoindicators were raised: 74 for soil fertility, 45 for water availability in the soil, 15 for soil compaction, and 9 for soil biology. Of this total, 92 (64%) were fully or partially validated by the researchers, 14 (10%) were classified as “potential research objects,” and 37 (26%) were not validated. The ethnoindicators were reorganized, showing that 43% were related to the characteristics of cultivated plants, 23% to soil biota, 19% to soil properties, and 15% to spontaneous plants. Settled lands using an agroforestry management system tripled the frequency of ethnoindicators in comparison to those with conventional management, with the exception of ethnoindicators related to roots or plant vigor.