ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF INTEGRATED FRUIT PRODUCTION PRACTICES FOR STRAWBERRY IN SÃO BENTO DO SAPUCAÍ (SP, BRAZIL)

Integrated Fruit Production (IFP) has been defined as the set of agricultural, organizational and environmental food safety standards for compliance with the demands of higher quality fruit and export markets. An IFP-Strawberry Program has been carried out in São Bento do Sapucaí (SP-Brazil), aiming to establish terms of reference for the culture, and check contributions for the sustainability of the adopting farms. In order to tackle this latter objective, two rural establishments, one specialized in strawberry production (Establishment A) and one (B) very diversified were studied with the APOIA-NovoRural System. The system consists of 62 indicators integrated into five sustainability dimensions: (i) Landscape Ecology; (ii) Environmental Quality; (iii) Socio-cultural Values; (iv) Economic Values; and (v) Management and Administration. The results pointed out important contributions of IFP-Strawberry, owing to several management procedures observed. Sustainability indices were in accordance with the baseline sustainability level (set at 0.70) for all dimensions, resulting in favorable environmental performances (mean value coincidently = 0.79) for both establishments. The mean sustainability indices for Landscape Ecology reached 0.72 and 0.75 (establishments A and B, respectively) despite the restrictive relief of the region. A main contrast occurred in the Productive diversity indicator (indices = 0.49 and 0.69, respectively, for establishments A and B), which is an important measure of the alternatives for income generation, and economic security of the farms. Excellent water quality (mean values = 0.92 and 0.88) and remarkable improvements in soil quality (0.69 and 0.70) were associated with IFP-Strawberry. Important contributions were also associated to the Economic and the Socio-cultural Values. The main contrast observed between the establishments was the improved influence of IFP-Strawberry on Management and Administration dimension in the diversified farm (Establishment B), due to the greater conditions of commercialization rendered by the integration of several productive activities.