MEDICINAL PLANTS, PEASANTRY AND FAMILY FARMING: AN ANALYSIS OF TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH SUS PUBLIC POLICIES

Abstract

The use of medicinal plants in Brazil constitutes a historical practice deeply linked to the traditional knowledge of peasant communities and to the social reproduction strategies of rural populations. In the context of the expansion of capitalism in the countryside, the cultivation, conservation, and use of these plants emerge as forms of peasant resistance, affirming ancestral knowledge, distinctive ways of life, and singular relationships with land and biodiversity. This article analyzes the process of institutionalization of medicinal plants within public health policies, with emphasis on Brazil’s Unified Health System (SUS), discussing their interfaces with peasantry, family farming, and sustainable rural development. The research is based on a bibliographic review of classical and contemporary authors, as well as on the analysis of normative frameworks, such as Law No. 8,080/1990, the National Policy on Integrative and Complementary Practices, and the National Policy on Medicinal Plants and Herbal Medicines. The results indicate that, despite institutional recognition of traditional knowledge, the implementation of these policies in rural areas remains limited by weaknesses in technical assistance, continuing education of health professionals, and social participation of peasant subjects. It is concluded that strengthening these dimensions is essential to consolidate the cultivation and use of medicinal plants as a legitimate care practice within the SUS and as a concrete expression of peasant resistance to hegemonic development dynamics.