TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT BASED ON AQUACULTURE INTEGRATION: CASE STUDY ON RURAL PRODUCTION IN SANTA RITA, TERESÓPOLIS (RJ)

Abstract

Territorial development has an important and determining endogenous character that should serve as a basis for the elaboration of public policies. This conception, without dismissing the importance of exogenous structures, is used to understand how a productive activity, such as aquaculture in a pluriactivity scenario, can contribute to the development of a territory. Based on research based on participant observation of producers who are part of a tourist circuit in Santa Rita – Teresópolis – RJ, we sought to understand this potential and reflect on ways that can promote territorial development. Production in the Santa Rita region, like a large part of the municipality of Teresópolis, is carried out by small farmers with their production focused on the cultivation of vegetable crops. It was identified that there is a growing contribution from small properties that are starting to diversify their activities, including tourism. Despite the great growth of aquaculture in the world and in Brazil itself, it was found that the production of aquatic organisms is still poorly developed economically in Santa Rita. However, it was possible to ascertain that the rural characteristics of productive diversification combined with tourism provide an opportunity to integrate the production of aquatic organisms into the region's traditional agricultural activities. In the scenario of searching for more sustainable productions, only aquaculture linked to the principles of agroecology can result in an effective development of the Santa Rita territory, contributing to greater resilience of properties in the face of climate change. Therefore, agroecological aquaculture has the potential to develop the territory of Santa Rita as an integral part of already established activities, potentially increasing income, employment and food security in the countryside.