ENTRE REMOS E ENXADAS

EDUCAÇÃO DO CAMPO E AGROECOLOGIA NAS MARÉS DE (RE)EXISTÊNCIA CAIÇARA

Abstract

This article analyzes the connection between Rural Education and Agroecology based on the pedagogical experience of the Roça de Mutirão (Collective Farming) as a generative theme developed in traditional caiçara communities on the islands of Guaraqueçaba, on the coast of Paraná, Brazil. The research starts from the observation that school curricula often overlook territorial knowledge and the cultural practices of traditional peoples, reinforcing decontextualized and exclusionary educational models. In response, this study defends the need for a territorially rooted education that values local ways of life and sustainable practices. The main objective is to understand how the agroecological practice of the Roça de Mutirão, when incorporated into school life as a generative theme, contributes to critical, contextualized, and socio-ecologically committed education. The methodology is qualitative, based on participatory research and reflexive analysis of already implemented pedagogical practices, respecting ethical boundaries by avoiding personal identification. The results indicate that working with generative themes such as the Roça de Mutirão enhances interdisciplinarity, increases student engagement, and strengthens cultural and territorial identity in rural schools. It is concluded that agroecology, when aligned with Freirean pedagogy, becomes a powerful strategy of collective (re)existence, especially in territories marked by environmental conflicts and social invisibility.