AGROECOLOGÍA Y POLÍTICAS PÚBLICAS PARA EL DESARROLLO RURAL: LA CONTRIBUCIÓN DEL PROGRAMA DE AGROECOLOGÍA DE PRONAF AL FORTALECIMIENTO DE LA AGRICULTURA FAMILIAR EN PARAÍBA

Abstract

Family farming constitutes a structuring element of Brazilian rural development and plays a strategic role in food production, employment generation, and environmental preservation. In this context, agroecology has consolidated itself as an alternative to the conventional agricultural model by valuing the traditional knowledge of rural communities, the conservation of natural resources, and the integration of agricultural production with environmental preservation. This study aims to analyze the contributions of PRONAF to family farmers in Paraíba as an instrument of sustainable rural development, contextualizing the historical evolution of agroecology and emphasizing the dynamics observed in Northeastern Brazil and, particularly, in the financing of agroecology in Paraíba, highlighting the advances, challenges, and contributions of this policy to the consolidation of more sustainable and socially inclusive agricultural systems. This is a qualitative-quantitative study of a bibliographic and documentary nature, based on the analysis of data from official sources, such as the PRONAF Monitoring Dashboard. The number of contracted operations, the volume of financed resources, the regional distribution of resources, and the evolution of credit lines were analyzed, considering the 2013/2014 to 2025/2026 crop years. The results demonstrate the expansion of rural credit aimed at family farming and highlight the participation of the state of Paraíba in terms of the number of PRONAF Agroecology contracts signed, demonstrating the relevance of this policy for strengthening family farming, while also pointing to the need for complementary public policies that contribute to addressing the contradictions existing between different agricultural development models and promote greater balance among economic growth, social justice, and environmental conservation.