Assessment of socio-economic and environmental sustainability in rural properties in Minas Gerais using the ISA method

Abstract:

Quantifying and qualifying sustainability in agricultural production units has become a necessity for many rural producers, as well as for managers of policies aimed at the sector. The objective of this study was to evaluate the sustainability of rural properties in municipalities of Minas Gerais through the application of the ISA method. From a sample of 39 family production units, indicators related to the quality of soil, water, vegetation and the socioeconomic aspects of agroecosystems were evaluated. The information collected allowed a classification of properties into 4 distinct groups. The average value of the ISA for the properties was 0.57, below the value of 0.70, which is considered ideal, and this set is classified as in a state of development. A comparison was made between the ISA of 39 properties applied in the years 2013 and 2016, allowing to verify an improvement in sustainability conditions after the implementation of several actions identified after the first application. Thus, through the results found, it was concluded that the ISA is an adequate tool to assess the sustainability of rural properties, suggest improvements and identify trade-offs in terms of sustainability between socioeconomic and environmental aspects.

Keywords:
sustainability indicators; environmental sustainability; socioeconomic sustainability; agroecosystems; rural properties