Natura invests in research for new knowledge and technologies to enable its business and sustainability in its actions. Within the sustainable technologies front, the Bioagriculture research program developed the Rural Calendar in partnership with its rural suppliers.
The rural calendar or agricultural activities calendar is a tool in managing the agricultural property and decision-making, in addition to contributing to the understanding of the resources needed at each stage of plant production or animal husbandry. This work aimed to assist farmers in systematizing agricultural activities and cultural celebrations that are part of the reality of farmers in the Amazon and Atlantic Forest regions.
Data collection was conducted in 2008, 2009, and 2013, through semi-structured interviews with farmers and technicians, and in-person meetings at the cooperative. The species were classified according to their purpose: consumption and market; The climatic conditions were described according to the seasons of the year; The classification of the production system considered the productive arrangement adopted in each region; And the festivities were mentioned considering their importance to the community (commemorative date, religious, local activity, and others). The calendar organized information on the stages of animal husbandry and the production cycle of the plants marketed and used in the feeding of 18 rural suppliers.
Understanding the activities carried out throughout the year by each rural supplier partner helps Natura in planning field activities and supply contracts. On the other hand, for farmers, the calendar facilitates the visualization of the number of inputs produced by the cooperative and the distribution of activities with each crop.
