Structure and dynamics of family farming in the municipality of Tracuateua, Northeastern Pará
Agricultural Economics, Natural Resources, Rural Financing, Rural Development.
The Northeast of Pará is the oldest colonization area in the Amazon, characterized by intense human action on nature, with substantial loss of its natural characteristics. The occupation of the municipality of Tracuateua was carried out predominantly by family farmers, who used the slash and burn system as the main practice of preparing areas for crops. This research aimed to evaluate agriculture in the municipality of Tracuateua, through the assessment of the technological level, as well as the socioeconomic aspects and spatial dynamics of land use, aiming to subsidize public policies aimed at strengthening agriculture. At first, through a systematic literature review, to evaluate the scientific production related to agriculture in the northeast of Pará. The second moment of the research included an assessment of land use and occupation associated with official data from the 2017 Agricultural Census, and the elaboration of maps of land use and land cover in three different periods through satellite image processing. And, later, to analyze family farming in the municipality of Tracuateua in relation to the importance of access to the main public policy programs aimed at strengthening agriculture. The results showed that the municipality of Tracuateua presented changes in terms of area occupation by the agricultural sector. In addition, when analyzing the agricultural sector, it was possible to perceive that the technological level and agricultural diversification are low, with little use of chemical inputs and machines and the predominance of the cultivation of only five agricultural crops. Thus, great challenges remain in family farming establishments, so it is necessary to seek alternatives to improve agricultural production, which can become viable through the incorporation of production systems and structural changes in public policies.