Public policies of agrarian development and family farming (gaúcha) of Roque Gonzales, Brazil

Doctoral thesis abstract

Abstract

The objective of the thesis was to understand the articulation between national public policies and family farmers of Roque Gonzales, department of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, between the years of 2011 to 2015, and the impact on the agrarian development of the municipality. The methodological strategy results of the description of the sample and the collection of data (farmers and representatives of the institutions), typification model and analysis of the Programa Nacional de Fortalecimiento de la Agricultura Familiar (PRONAF). The families typified in Groups 1 and 2 lack technical assistance, rural credit, access to land and institutional markets policies. Groups 3 and 4 are seized in PRONAF support and technical assistance. The institutional support came from the Sindicato de los Trabajadores Rurales, Empresa de Asistencia Técnica y Extensión Rural, banks, credit unions and farmers' cooperatives, Secretariat of Agriculture, the Agricultural Council, etc., and their actions cannot be reduced in bureaucratic procedures, they should assume a “springboard” role between politics and families. 79% of the farmers benefited from the policies, with emphasis on PRONAF (60%). In analysis, the Program has proposed improvements to the beneficiaries, however, there are structural limitations. The objective establishes rural development, but its measures have not covered it, and the most appropriate term refers to agrarian development. For policy planning, it is necessary to review the historical and current context, scope, target audience, impacts and participation of farmers and institutions. The agrarian development will occur from a systemic synergy of the protagonists and among them, dissolving the observed problems.