01901naa a2200289 a 450000100080000000500110000800800410001910000160006024501280007626000090020452010210021365000160123465000110125065000250126165000130128665300170129965300420131665300170135865300140137565300340138965300230142365300300144665300310147670000150150770000190152277300700154111593642023-01-16       2007    bl uuuu     u00u1 u    #d1 aANDRIEU, N.  aDesign of sustainability indicators of the production systems in Brazilian semi-arid area by the analysis of biomass flows.  c2007  aIn the north-eastern semi-arid area of Brazil. because of climatic and economic risks, production systems use limited amounts of inputs and instead exploit accumulated fertility. The substitution of the woody native vegetation by pastures has led to its almost total deforestation. The environmental and socio-economic viability of these systems is thus questionable. Consequently. a team made up of researchers from Semi-Arid Embrapa and Cirad centres tested a methodology to design sustainability indicators. In this paper, we first present some methods used to design indicators of the sustainability of production systems; secondly we describe the approach used which consisted in defining a conceptual framework based on the characterisation of the biomass f1ows within a farm. that enabled us to simultaneously analyse the production systems as a whole; and assess the state of resources. This framework was validated thanks to farmers .focus groups'. Finally we discuss its potential for change and drawbacks.  aagroecology  aBrazil  aAgricultura Familiar  aBiomassa  aAgroecologia  aBalances of the resources of the farm  aBiomass flaw  aIndicador  aIndicador de sustentabilidade  aPequena produção  aSustainability indicators  aSustentabilidade ambiental1 aPIRAUX, M.1 aTONNEAU, J. P.  tInt. J. Sustainable Developmentgv. 10, n. 1-2, p. 106-121, 2007.