O Pronaf em Mato Grosso : uma análise exploratória de clusters na agricultura familiar

Abstract

Rural development in Brazil is historically marked by inequalities, a reflection of an agrarian structure focused on exportation, large properties, and labor exploitation. Since colonization, land concentration has favored the elites, marginalizing small farmers. Redemocratization brought advances, such as the creation of the Ministry of Agrarian Development (MDA) and the National Program for Strengthening Family Farming (PRONAF), strengthening family farming. The Family Agriculture Law of 2006 consolidated guidelines for this sector, but also generated challenges due to the diversity of realities in the countryside. In Mato Grosso, land formation follows this pattern of land concentration, driven by state policies that encourage occupation by large estates and companies. The expansion of the agricultural frontier and the creation of settlements have shaped a heterogeneous scenario, where family farming faces structural challenges, such as poor infrastructure and difficulties in marketing. In this sense, the objective of the work is to conduct an exploratory analysis of clusters of family farming in Mato Grosso and Pronaf credit. The specific objectives are: a) to understand family farming in the context of the formation of the Brazilian and Mato Grosso rural space; b) to understand the spatial distribution of family farming and Pronaf resources through the analysis of intermediate regions; c) to identify the presence of family farming and the allocation of Pronaf resources by spatial clusters. The methodology used was based on a qualitative approach, through a literature review of academic articles on agricultural development and the formation of family farming, both in the Brazilian and Mato Grosso contexts, and a quantitative approach, using the K-Means algorithm for cluster construction. This research analyzed the distribution of Pronaf credit in family farming in Mato Grosso between 2013 and 2023. It was observed that the average value of contracts doubled in the period, with livestock raising more than 90% of the resources. The North region concentrated most of the financing, increasing its share from 47% in 2013 to 53% in 2020. Furthermore, the clusters demonstrate that despite the increase in the contracted value and the average value of contracts, the resources have been spatially concentrated.