Agricultura familiar e os programas de incentivo à produção no município de Cuité/PB.

Abstract

Family farming plays a key role in Sovereignty and Food and Nutrition Security (FNS) in the country, considering control production, food quality and non-dependence on markets for access and food. In last decades, several programs have been created being part of public policies with objective of strengthening the small family-based producer, until then neglected in detriment of employer’s agriculture. Indeed, the development of family agriculture is mainly related to the possibility of farmer to have access to these public policies that encourage the farmer to increase productivity, to have access to financing that allow investments in property and thus to improve the conditions of life in the field. The objective of this study is analyze the contribution of incentive programs to production of family farming between producers that are part of the Municipal Agroecological Fair of Cuité-PB, analyzing the producers / traders' perception of these programs, as well describing and evaluating the conditions of functioning of the municipality program. In the present study, the following programs were analyzed: National Program for Strengthening Family Agriculture (NPSFA), National Program to Support Rainwater Harvesting and Other Social Technologies (Cisternas Program) and National Seed and Seed Program for Family Agriculture ( Seeds program). This is a cross-sectional descriptive study, using semi-structured interviews with farmers and managers of these programs, authorized by means of a Free and Informed Consent Form. It was possible to characterize farmers profile and agricultural production, verifying the conditions related to land tenure and forms of negotiation, water acess, work style in production and food produced, and understand farmers' evaluation of programs. Similarity was observed in all programs in characterization of farmers who are mostly males, aged over 30 years and with low scholar level. Approximate results also regarding production difficulties such as lack of water access, technical assistance, lack of knowledge about seeds used origin. In accessing programs, the important role of the Union of Rural Workers and Associations for information access and facility of access was observed. As for impacts of the programs, it was verified that participants of these, for the most part, affirmed an increase in quantity and diversity of production. Of note is the strong use of Pronaf's credit for drilling wells, the contribution of the Cisternas Program to the viability of production during periods of drought and Seeds Program to guarantee the reduction of expenses by purchasing seeds for planting. The results allow a better understanding of the reality of farmers in the production process, highlighting the need for continuity and strengthening of public policies as a priority for the promotion of NAS, as well as the relevance of civil society in this context.