Agricultura familiar tradicional em Dourados/MS: limites e possibilidades para o desenvolvimento das propriedades e a geração de renda

Abstract

Acting in a climate of uncertainty, where consumers are increasingly picky and looking for good quality products with affordable prices, as well as an increasing environmental perspective, it becomes a challenge for enterprises nowadays. This context is composed of family farmers, who currently need to make use of several strategies to stay on the property, earn income and have life quality. This is a segment that lacks many resources, both financial or material and technical assistance. From this perspective, the present study sought to identify and analyze the main potentials and limits for rural development of traditional farmers in Dourados, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul and highlight key strategies to generate income on the properties. The methodology is characterized as mixed method, having descriptive and explanatory approach with data from field research. The results show that the traditional family farming in Dourados is quite representative, either because the amount of producers listed in the Annual Statement of Rural Producer, or because it is the sector that most captures PRONAF resources. Despite having a small amount of land, more than half of the farmers grow soybeans and corn on their properties. However, it is noted that farmers use external income to supplement property incomes. Another fact quite interesting is that despite the uneasy countryside life, a significant percentage of producers do not identify difficulties in marketing their production. In this context, the research results allow to notice that the public policy of credit enables the property expansion, therefore, to compare farmers who have foreign income with those PRONAF beneficiaries, it was contrasted that the income of PRONAF holders and without foreign income is higher, which indicates that public policy is of utmost importance for the property development and for the permanence of people in the countryside. When foreign income is compared to the annual net income, it is clear that those farmers who receive foreign income have incomes lower than those farmers who do not. Based on the research data, it is possible to conclude that, from incentives received through public policies, it is achievable to obtain greater development of rural properties.