Ecological production in rural settlements in Rio Grande do Sul

For many decades, the struggle for land represents a subject of great controversy in Brazil. However, in addition to the struggle of land conquest, there is also the struggle for the socioeconomic inclusion of the settlers. This is because after the conquest of land these settlers find it difficult to adapt to the new place and to the type of production linked to local environmental characteristics, in addition to the lack of resources. In this context, experiences of ecological production arise from settlers in Rio Grande do Sul. These are innovative experiences both in technological terms and in the socioeconomic and environmental dimensions. For that matter, the article seeks to demonstrate how the territorial changes generated by production occurred, with emphasis on rice and vegetable gardens. Thus, the theoretical focus of the study emphasizes on themes such as agroecology and organic production and the struggle for land, with a focus on the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The information presented was obtained through data from INCRA (National Institute of Colonization and Agrarian Reform), information provided by the Participatory Certification of COCEARGS (Central Cooperative of Settled Farmers in Rio Grande do Sul) and field work in rural settlements. The results obtained demonstrate how organic food production developed in the settlements and how these experiences contribute to the settlement of settlers in the countryside.