Potentialities and challenges of family agriculture in a region of South Brazil

ABSTRACT

It is necessary to think of practical actions and initiatives to help the quality of life of the population and the conservation of the environment. In this sense, this research aims to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG12) with food production through family agriculture in a region of southern Brazil, identifying the potentialities and challenges of the activity. It also intends to determine social, environmental, and economic issues in production, distribution, and consumption on behalf of promoting sustainable development. In this context, to deepen the knowledge of the possibilities for the region under study, focus groups and interviews were conducted with the participation of local actors. The study was conducted in 21 municipalities of Corede Produção region to obtain a diagnosis of the potentialities and challenges of family agriculture. Thus, with the results obtained, it is possible to create opportunities to foster the region through more sustainable agriculture and also contribute to the goals of the SDGs launched by the UN in 2015.

KEYWORDS:

• Family agriculture
• food production
• potentialities and challenges
• SDG
• sustainable

Compliance with Ethical Standards

All procedures in this study were under the ethical standards of the institutional. Was obtained informed consent from all individual participants included in the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Final considerations

This research had aimed to study sustainable production and consumption in family agriculture in a region of southern Brazil. This theme refers to the Sustainable Development Goals number 12. Thus, the main challenges were rural exodus and climate fluctuations. Income, food quality, price, and access to the food were the most mentioned potentialities. Through the methodology adopted, local actors mentioned regional difficulties that hinder agricultural activity. Although there have been several great potentialities that generate opportunities in the field, that is, in agriculture.

However, because the region is a major producer of grains and cereals, where agribusiness is the leader in the economy, issues, such as crop diversification and organic production are underestimated. This factor creates more sustainable guidelines for family agriculture taking into account social, economic, and environmental aspects, as well as production, distribution, and consumption initiatives.

Finally, it is important to mention the importance of researches that contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) as well as to assist and foster food security from a local level to a global one, where the population would have healthy quality food and in a good quantity. It is also possible to mention how wide is the profession of a farmer, of a food producer, an activity that often ends up being forgotten or little favored by the climate, the private initiative, and the public agencies.

Notes

1. MST – landless farmworkers’ movement.

2. EMBRAPA – Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation – a government-owned company controlled by the Ministry of Agriculture and Supply. Embrapa’s mission is to generate, adapt and transfer knowledge and technology to provide feasible solutions for the sustainable development of the Brazilian agribusiness.

3. EMATER – a state public company in Brazil to implement the state government’s agricultural policy and provide technical assistance to farmers.