A CERTIFICAÇÃO ORGÂNICA PARTICIPATIVA EM ASSENTAMENTOS DO AGRESTE PARAIBANO: UM ESTUDO SOBRE O PROCESSO

Abstract

The organic certification process is complex, costly and time consuming, this hinders interest and direct participation of family farmers who work with organic production / agro-ecological and you want to access the organic market. Paraíba there are groups of family farmers to certify their areas of production through certification by audit, others, certify via OCS - Office of Social Control. Certification by audit is not interesting by farmers and certification through the OCS is only for direct sales, farmers in Burnt settlements - Remigio and Assent. Margarida Maria Alves I - Tavora / PB want a participatory organic certification process and enabling market for direct sales and foreign markets. In 2013 it was made the OPAC - Participatory Organization of Organic Conformity Assessment, called Borborema Agroecology Network, set up to organize and certify the areas of organic production of family farmers. This paper aims to conduct a study on the participatory organic certification process in the settlements mentioned above. The methodology used were field visits, photographic records, search the constitutional documents of the Borborema Agroecology Network (laws, bylaws, minutes books) participation in meetings / workshops sponsored by the network, informal conversations, questionnaires and interviews with farmers and family farmers. Results show information about the organic / agro-ecological production, also show the importance, the form of participation, difficulties and progress made with participatory organic certification process.