Circuitos produtivos e a participação da agricultura familiar na suinocultura brasileira

Production Circuits and the Participation of Family Farming in Brazilian Swine Farming

Abstract

The objective of this study is to analyze the productive dynamics and the participation of family farming in Brazilian pig farming, especially in light of local and global technological changes in recent years. The research is quantitative in nature, with the collection, processing, and analysis of secondary data from the 2006 and 2017 Agricultural Censuses regarding pig farming in Brazil. Regarding the analysis of the results, the quantitative data were treated using descriptive statistics adjusted for each variable studied. The results indicate the presence of pig farming throughout Brazil, with a strengthening, in recent years, of integrated production systems in the South and Southeast regions, and production focused on subsistence in the North and Northeast. The main conclusion is the relevance of pig farming for the reproduction of ways of life and its influence on international markets through exports, in addition to the need to rethink the current model, since the basis of the pig diet, corn, is exposed to climate and market fluctuations. It is also important to explore alternative markets, fostering this activity beyond conventional models. The Brazilian government needs to pay special attention and support to family farming, which is the main producer in the country. Although integration with agribusiness brings benefits, such as access to markets and stability, it also increases farmers' dependence, requiring public policies and industry actions that consider these vulnerabilities.