Avaliação tridimensional da sustentabilidade do terreiro de "Lama Asfáltica": a percepção dos cafeicultores e extensionistas da região Sul de Minas Gerais

Abstract

In order to improve the quality of the coffee beverage in the southern region of Minas Gerais, EMATER, in agreement with UFLA and EPAMIG, with the financial support of CP& D-Café, generated and disseminated the “Asphalt Mud ” technology, which has advantages like low cost and high elasticity, because the floor does not suffer cracks with the expansion, which helps in improving the coffee quality. This study was carried out based on an evaluation of the sustainability concept and its economic, social and environmental dimensions. For the data collection, quantitative and qualitative methods were used. Survey type questionnaires were applied and semi-structured interviews with coffee growers and extensionists were elaborated in the South region of Minas Gerais. The theoretical framework, in order to be adequate and reach the proposed objectives, first dealt with the concept of evaluation, and the evaluation process characteristics, focusing more specifically on the ex-post evaluation, which was adopted in this work. Subsequently, the main debates and conferences that approached the issue of sustainable development and sustainability in global terms were presented; as well as concepts and different approaches to these terms. Finally, the main types of yards used in the drying of coffee in Brazil were presented, among them, the “Asphalt Mud ” yard technology, which is the object of this research. With regard to the results obtained, it is possible to perceive the reliability and certainty on the part of the actors participating in the research to the good adaptation of the “Asphalt Mud” yard in relation to the sustainability dimensions. It was concluded with the results and discussions presented in this dissertation, that the “Asphalt Mud ” yard technology was evaluated by the majority of the interviewees as profitable (economic dimension), socially appropriate and environmentally correct.