The Environmental Education and Family Farming Programme (PEAAF) was created to strengthen environmental education within Brazil’s rural and family‑farming sectors, recognizing the deep socio‑environmental challenges affecting rural territories. Its main objective is to integrate environmental education into the daily practices of family farmers and rural communities, promoting a collective understanding of environmental issues and the development of sustainable, socially just forms of rural production. It situates environmental education not as an auxiliary activity, but as a strategic instrument for improving quality of life and supporting rural transformation. A second objective of the programme is to develop educational processes grounded in participatory methodologies, such as research‑action, dialogue around “tema geradores,” and territorial approaches. These methodologies encourage communities to collectively analyse environmental challenges, identify vulnerabilities and opportunities, and co‑create solutions adapted to local realities. By doing so, the PEAAF aims to build critical awareness about socio‑environmental issues, foster autonomy, and empower rural populations to become active agents in decision‑making processes that affect their territories. The programme also seeks to strengthen sustainable rural development by promoting agroecology as a guiding principle. Recognizing the limitations and environmental impacts of conventional agricultural systems, the PEAAF emphasizes practices that conserve natural resources, support biodiversity, and ensure economic and social sustainability. Through education, technical guidance, and community mobilisation, the programme encourages transition to sustainable production systems, which are essential for food security, ecosystem conservation, and long‑term resilience of rural livelihoods. Finally, the programme aims to enhance institutional coordination and long‑term educational support across public institutions and civil‑society organizations involved in rural development. It promotes integrated, continuous, and permanent educational actions that align with Brazil’s National Environmental Education Policy (PNEA). By articulating multiple actors—government agencies, research institutions, extension services, schools, and rural organizations—the PEAAF seeks to ensure that environmental education becomes a stable component of rural development policies and that communities receive sustained support for building environmentally responsible and socially just rural futures.
Brazil · 2015-01-01