摘要：Rural extension has a significant effect on the degree of sustainability of the agricultural system in which it operates.Moreover, the successful implementation of sustainable methods depends on technicians’ commitment and knowledge,among other factors. In this sense, it is important to construct the rural extensionists’ perception and conceptual conceptionabout agricultural sustainability in order to formulate strategies for the development of awareness, motivation and trainingwith a view to the profile of the professionals in question. The study was conducted based on a survey including 116 ruralextensionists connected with Santa Catarina State Agricultural Research and Rural Extension Agency [Empresa de PesquisaAgropecuária e Extensão Rural de Santa Catarina] (EPAGRI) and focusing on the Western Region of Santa Catarina State.Results showed that environmental indicators and attributes were most employed by respondents to characterize thesustainability of agricultural activity, followed by economic criteria and self-sufficiency of rural property. The extensionistsuse a wide range of sustainable practices that concentrate, nevertheless, on the environmental and agricultural sciencesareas, with little emphasis on social issues. In the view of these technicians, sustainable agriculture will enable and ensurethe continuity of primary activity, as well as promote effective improvement in the quality of life in urban and rural areas.↓A extensão rural exerce marcante efeito sobre o grau de sustentabilidade do sistema agropecuário em que atua, e o êxito na implantação de métodos sustentáveis depende, entre outros fatores, do comprometimento e do conhecimento dos técnicos. Deste modo, é importante colher a percepção e a concepção conceitual dos extensionistas rurais sobre sustentabilidade agrícola, para, com base nisso, formular estratégias de conscientização, motivação e capacitação direcionadas ao perfil dos profissionais em questão. O trabalho foi realizado na forma de um survey junto a 116 extensionistas rurais vinculados à Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária e Extensão Rural de Santa Catarina (EPAGRI), com atuação na Região Oeste Catarinense. Indicadores e atributos de natureza ambiental foram os mais empregados pelos respondentes para caracterizar a sustentabilidade da atividade agropecuária, seguidos por critérios econômicos e de autossuficiência da propriedade. Os extensionistas utilizam um vasto conjunto de práticas sustentáveis, as quais, no entanto, concentram-se no campo ambiental e das ciências agrárias, com pouca ênfase à questão social. Na visão dos técnicos, a agricultura sustentável viabilizará e garantirá a continuidade da atividade primária, bem como promoverá efetiva melhoria na qualidade de vida no meio urbano e rural.
其他摘要：Rural extension has a significant effect on the degree of sustainability of the agricultural system in which it operates.Moreover, the successful implementation of sustainable methods depends on technicians’ commitment and knowledge,among other factors. In this sense, it is important to construct the rural extensionists’ perception and conceptual conceptionabout agricultural sustainability in order to formulate strategies for the development of awareness, motivation and trainingwith a view to the profile of the professionals in question. The study was conducted based on a survey including 116 ruralextensionists connected with Santa Catarina State Agricultural Research and Rural Extension Agency [Empresa de PesquisaAgropecuária e Extensão Rural de Santa Catarina] (EPAGRI) and focusing on the Western Region of Santa Catarina State.Results showed that environmental indicators and attributes were most employed by respondents to characterize thesustainability of agricultural activity, followed by economic criteria and self-sufficiency of rural property. The extensionistsuse a wide range of sustainable practices that concentrate, nevertheless, on the environmental and agricultural sciencesareas, with little emphasis on social issues. In the view of these technicians, sustainable agriculture will enable and ensurethe continuity of primary activity, as well as promote effective improvement in the quality of life in urban and rural areas.
