Agroecology: Forming Citizens Geared to Life
Growing Citizens, Not Just Crops
Dom Antônio Possamai Family Farm School (DAPFAS) is not just teaching agriculture — it’s shaping the next generation of citizens committed to life, sustainability, and community.
🌱 What is Agroecology?
I’m Graciely Oliveira, a monitor at DAPFAS, and I’m here to show how agroecology transforms rural education. At our school, we’re not only teaching farming techniques — we’re empowering youth to become responsible, life-oriented citizens while protecting the environment and promoting health.
For our team, agroecology is an innovative science geared to life.
Between 2013 and 2015, we made several advances:
We now plant without using pesticides
We use compost, biofertilizer, and mulch
We respect Mother Earth, animals, and plants
We guarantee polyculture through agroforestry systems and parent vegetable gardens
We promote health by avoiding canned food, hormones, and especially poisons
We also highlight homoeopathy and natural treatments.
We recycle our waste and implement selective collection in the school
We promote family manual labour without any form of slavery
Challenges Ahead
We still need to develop:
Natural gas systems
The Voisin Rational System
Water reuse
Recovery of springs
We have overcome several barriers. DAPFAS is the only school in Rondônia
with a technical course in agroecology. However, our location amid dairy farming and meat production creates conflicts for students.
Convincing families and neighbours not to use pesticides remains difficult. Spreading the principles of agroecology is a challenge, but one we continue to embrace.
🌎 Promote Life
Contribute to a better, more supportive world: Say No to pesticides, Yes to Agroecology! YES, to life 🌱