Agroecology initiatives in São Paulo

The state of São Paulo has seen developments regarding agroecological practices through both government initiatives and civil society advocacy.

The Secretariat of Agriculture and Supply, via the Integral Technical Assistance Coordination (CATI), introduced a voluntary Agroecological Transition Protocol. This program offers producers up to five years of technical monitoring to move from conventional farming to agroecological methods. The process involves property diagnoses and customized plans covering areas such as soil conservation, pest management, and water use. Farmers can earn declarations or certificates to facilitate sales in various markets.

Concurrently, a coalition of over 20 civil society organizations, including the Articulação Paulista de Agroecologia, the Urban Agroecology Movement (Muda), the Campanha Permanente Contra os Agrotóxicos, the Coletivo Banquetaço, and MST-SP, has intensified its ‘Agroecology in the Elections in SP’ campaign. The group is seeking formal commitments from executive and legislative candidates through a drafted letter of commitments.

Key demands from the coalition include technical, economic, and administrative incentives for family farmers, indigenous peoples, quilombolas, and land reform settlers. They are also calling for the state-wide implementation of the National Policy for Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture (PNAUP) and the creation of community urban gardens in schools and public services. Regarding environmental safety, the organizations demand an immediate ban on aerial pesticide spraying near schools, water sources, and communities, while advocating for state public laboratories to monitor pesticide residues in food and water.