Os desafios dos empreendimentos solidários – percepções sobre a experiência da Feira Agroecológica de Sumé (PB).

Abstract

Solidarity enterprises, such as associations of agro-ecological marketers, are linked to the principles of the Solidarity Economy, which emerges as another economy that is confronted with the interests of the reproduction of capital and power. Free trade shows are places of economic, social and cultural relations that enhance the relations of peasant identity among its actors. The present study aims to find out the main difficulties and challenges in the conduct of the Association for the maintenance of the sustainable food production proposal in Sumé (from the Solidarity Economy approach and from the perspective of the agriculturists of the Feira Agroecológica de Sumé PB). The research was characterized as a case study and the instrument was the interview with semi-structured script, applied to a sample of eight associates. Several bottlenecks were identified, such as the lack of assistance and technical support and difficulty access to credit to increase or expand the rural enterprise, or to make some improvements in its production areas; however, the associates emphasized that they are pleased to produce and market organic, fresh and healthy products because they know that they are enabling people to feed themselves in a healthier way and that even with difficulties the Association of Producers of the Agroecological Fair of Sumé has allowed the generation of work and income, because among the associates there is cooperativism and solidarity.