Resumo: O paradigma reducionista e disciplinar da Revolução Verde coexiste com o paradigma emergente da complexidade, o qual valoriza o holístico e o interdisciplinar. A Agroecologia promove a necessidade de compreender as múltiplas relações biofísicas existentes nos agroecossistemas, e isso exige o desenvolvimento de novas ferramentas metodológicas. Os indicadores de sustentabilidade são um exemplo disso. No entanto, sua implementação não é simples, pois requer um instrumento que simplifique a construção de tais indicadores. O objetivo deste trabalho é utilizar o “mapa mental” como guia para o desenvolvimento e a aplicação de indicadores. O gráfico segue o caminho conceitual que facilita o entendimento da variável e sua desagregação em unidades de análise menores e mensuráveis, ou seja, os indicadores. O mapa mental criado possui duas etapas: o desenvolvimento dos indicadores e sua aplicação. Sua utilidade é apresentada em um estudo de caso que aborda o conhecimento ambiental local (LEK). Os resultados deste trabalho mostram que a complexidade pode ser traduzida em variáveis quantificáveis, mensuráveis e comparáveis, sem que isso represente a perda de suas características. Além disso, comprova que a ferramenta criada facilita a avaliação e a compreensão do funcionamento dos agroecossistemas, o que contribui para a tomada de decisões.

Abstract: The reductionist and disciplinary paradigm of the Green Revolution coexists with the emerging paradigm of complexity, which values the holistic and the interdisciplinary. Agroecology promotes the need to understand the multiple biophysical relationships that exist in agroecosystems, and this calls for the development of new methodological tools. Sustainability indicators are an example of this. However, their implementation is not simple, as this requires an instrument to simplify the construction of such indicators. The objective of this work is to use the “mental map” as a guide for the development and application of indicators. The graph follows the conceptual path that facilitates the understanding of the variable and its breakdown into smaller and measurable units of analysis, i.e. the indicators. The created mental map has two stages: the development of indicators and their application. Its utility is presented in a case study that addresses local environmental knowledge (LEK). The results of this work show that complexity can be translated into quantifiable, measurable, and comparable variables, without this representing the loss of its characteristics. In addition, it proves that the created tool facilitates the evaluation and understanding of the functioning of agroecosystems, which contributes to decision-making.

In recent decades, in the Horticultural Platense Region, much of the open field horticultural farming has been replaced by greenhouse cultivation systems. Even though this practice is more profitable than open field farming, it has a more accentuated negative impact on the ecological and social dimensions of sustainability. The decision-making process of farmers is complex and it's subject to individual and contextual factors (economic, technical, political and social). The influence of contextual factors in the adoption of greenhouse technology in different Horticultural Platense farmers was analyzed. A qualitative methodology was used, with in-depth interviews with farmers of different origin, who work with various production systems. The results confirm that contextual factors exerted great pressure on farmers when it came to incorporating unsustainable technological innovations. Additionally, it was observed that farmers who practiced greenhouse farming were more influenced by contextual factors than those who practiced open field farming. With a mostly absent State, a weak science and the lack of monetary valuation of environmental assets, the economic dimension prevails when it comes to adopting unsustainable systems.

En las últimas décadas, en el Cinturón Hortícola Platense, gran parte de la producción hortícola al aire libre fue reemplazada por producción bajo invernáculo. A pesar de ser más rentable, esta modalidad afecta de una forma más acentuada las dimensiones ecológica y social de la sustentabilidad. El proceso de toma de decisiones de los agricultores es complejo y en él se ponen en juego factores individuales y factores contextuales (económicos, técnicos y políticos). Se analizó la influencia de los factores contextuales en la toma de decisión de incorporar la tecnología del invernáculo en diferentes agricultores del Cinturón Hortícola Platense. Se utilizó una metodología cualitativa, con entrevistas en profundidad a horticultores de diferente origen y que trabajan con diversos sistemas de producción. Los resultados demuestran que los factores contextuales fueron de gran importancia para que los agricultores optaran por incorporar innovaciones tecnológicas no sustentables. A su vez, se observó que los agricultores que cultivan bajo invernáculo fueron más influenciados por los factores contextuales que aquellos que cultivan al aire libre. Ante un Estado ausente, una ciencia débil y la falta de valoración de bienes ambientales, predominó la dimensión económica en la adopción de sistemas no sustentables.

Resumen En el presente trabajo se analizaron y compararon indicadores de prácticas de manejo que tienen efectos sobre la vegetación cultivada y no cultivada: factores que acarrean impactos en la agrobiodiversidad, en modelos de producción bajo invernadero y al aire libre, y que corresponden a agricultores de diferentes orígenes étnicos del cinturón hortícola platense. Se identificaron, mediante entrevistas desarrolladas a profundidad, conocimientos y percepciones que versan sobre la agrobiodiversidad. Se observó que los agricultores que adoptaron el sistema de producción bajo invernadero tienen manejos y visiones que tienden a disminuirla en comparación con los que cultivan al aire libre. Dentro de estos grupos, los de origen boliviano promueven una mayor agrobiodiversidad en comparación con los de origen europeo.

Abstract This work analyzed and compared management practices indicators that have effects on cultivated and uncultivated vegetation: factors impacting agrobiodiversity on greenhouse and outdoor production models corresponding to farmers from different ethnic origins in the horticultural belt of La Plata. We identified knowledge and perceptions regarding agrobiodiversity through in-depth interviews. We also observed that the farmers who adopted the greenhouse production system have a management and vision that tends to diminish agrobiodiversity compared to those that grow their crops outdoors. Out of these groups, those of Bolivian origin promote a greater agrobiodiversity in comparison with those of European origin.