Identificación y revalorización de los saberes ancestrales de producción agraria en los cultivos de yuca (Manihot esculenta), plátano (Musa paradisiaca) y caña (Saccharum officinarum) en la parroquia Madre Tierra, cantón Mera, província de Pastaza

Abstract

The research was carried out in the communities belonging to the Madre Tierra parish, Mera canton, Pastaza province, with the objective of obtaining important information regarding ancestral agricultural practices and knowledge that have been applied in yuca, banana and cane which are the most representative crops of the area. For the selection of the sample we visited different farms whose owners are colonizers of the parish or native of the same, who have knowledge about the three crops mentioned and above all have the desire to participate in the study. In this way, the participation and collaboration of 62 farmers were obtained, which were submitted to interviews which show all cultivation work. The results were described based on percentages and classified in groups first in characterization of the agricultural production units (UPAS); In which the age groups of the farmers are found, the level of education according to gender, with a high percentage of illiteracy in women, 25.6%, groups of farm areas and their correlation with areas cultivated with yuca, plantain and cane. Ancestral knowledge in precultural practices, standing out activities of preparation of the terrain as the rose, tumbe, repique, trasado, hoyado. Cultural practices involving selection of vegetative material, planting methods, fertilizer used, crops with which rotations and associations are carried out, pests and diseases. Ancestral knowledge in harvest and postharvest, medicinal uses. Ancestral knowledge in lunar cycles that involve taking into account the lunar phases for planting and weeding and finally ancestral knowledge in rituality highlighting a variety of planting rituals of yuca.