Open AccessBiodiversity-friendly Agricultural Practices in the Indigenous Agricultural Systems in the Biodiversity Corridor of the Alto Paraná Atlantic Forest (Paraguay)
Author(s) -
Federico Vargas Lehner,
Ruth Tiffer-Sotomayor,
Alejandrino Díaz,
Alberto Yanosky
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
research in ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2661-3379
DOI - 10.30564/re.v3i3.3358
Subject(s) - biodiversity , sustainability , agriculture , agroforestry , agricultural biodiversity , geography , indigenous , environmental resource management , natural resource , deforestation (computer science) , traditional knowledge , ecosystem services , environmental planning , ecology , ecosystem , environmental science , biology , archaeology , computer science , programming language
Agricultural systems result of the coevolution between social and natural systems, where biodiversity and natural resources play an important role, emerging interactions between crops and the natural environment that allow the development of ecological processes which interact with external inputs. This research aims to describe the agricultural practices developed by the Guarani Indigenous People in the agricultural systems located within the biodiversity corridor of the Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest. This exploratory study is focused on multiple cases, with a qualitative approach and data were collected during 2017 and 2018 in eleven indigenous communities. The main practices developed for the management of biodiversity are polyculture, rotation, and embroideries; they also practice agroforestry and livestock-raising. The main difficulty they face is the reduction of the surrounding biodiversity, which affects the sustainability of the system. This study shows ways for nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based adaptation according to current needs for greening the economy.