Evaluation of socio-environmental impacts of sustainable agricultural activities: Case study at the Tunshi Experimental Station, Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo

Abstract

Every human action produces several positive or negative socio-environmental impacts, therefore, it is important to study the socio-environmental impacts resulting from anthropogenic activities, applying appropriate methods to identify, in a technical manner, those significant impacts and the level of affectation they cause on the environment and human societies. In this context, this research aimed to evaluate the socio-environmental impacts of agricultural activities in the Tunshi Experimental Station, an area of the Natural Resources Faculty (EET-FRN) of the Polytechnic School of Chimborazo. For this study, the socio-environmental baseline of the study area was elaborated for applying a survey to 104 students of the Natural Renewable Resources career; semi-structured interviews were applie to four actors within the Experimental Station. The data for evaluating the identified impacts were gathered and analyzed using a modified Lazaro Lagos matrix. This study was carried out in the period March-August 2022. Once the impacts had been identified and evaluated, the environmental management plan was prepared to mitigate or offset the negative impacts and enhance the positive impacts. Through this study, 26 significant socio-environmental impacts were identified, and the total value of the evaluation was 583, of which 446 (76.50%) correspond to positive socio-environmental impacts, while 137 (23.50%) is the value of negative socio-environmental impacts, most of which are favorable since they take advantage of natural resources such as soil, water and flora. In conclusion, the socio-environmental impacts caused by agricultural activities at the Tunshi Experimental Station have been mitigated with new agroecological alternatives developed by the institution.