Decolonial perspectives on agrarian heritage:

a theoretical discussion in the Brazilian context

Abstract

This paper proposes a reflection on the concept of Agrarian Heritage from a decolonial perspective, based on the recognition that agrarian activity, whilst a universal human practice, takes on distinct forms and meanings depending on historical, cultural and territorial contexts. The aim is to understand how a decolonial approach can contribute to the reinterpretation and construction of the concept of Agrarian Heritage in Brazil, taking into account the epistemological diversity and the plurality of ties to the land present in Brazilian communities. The methodology employed is qualitative, with a theoretical-interpretative approach grounded in the dialectical method. The results indicate that the traditional concept of Agrarian Heritage, based on Eurocentric categories, is insufficient to encompass the meanings attributed to the territory by these communities. It is concluded that the decolonisation of the concept does not imply the rejection of European frameworks, but rather the recognition and respect for these foundations, with their reconstruction based on plural local epistemologies. This is a necessary epistemological shift so that Agrarian Heritage may, in fact, reflect the plural and complex reality of the Brazilian territory.