Agriculture in two rural communities in Rio Grande do Norte

Abstract

The study aims to identify as socioeconomic and food production conditions, including access to public policies to strengthen family farming, of family farmers living in the rural area of the state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN). This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study carried out in two agricultural communities in the municipality of Jaçanã – RN. 15 semi-structured features were carried out with farmers selected by the Snow Ball method. The analysis was through descriptive statistics and content analysis, for qualitative information. Difficulties were observed regarding housing conditions, income and basic sanitation. About agricultural production, assuming conventional practices (use of pesticides and transgenic seeds) and the presence of middlemen in most commercializations. There was reduced access and lack of knowledge about policies to strengthen family farming, while an important access to the Bolsa Família Program (PBF). The work reveals the context of vulnerability of farmers and the important need to strengthen public policies aimed at the rural population and living conditions, production and agricultural marketing. It also reinforces the importance of local investigations that generate diagnoses and problematize the territories.