Shuttle: Training without technical assistance does not benefit small producers

Discussions on greater assistance for small producers and family farming became the focus of the new government.

These specific programs would be within the policies of a ministry for the sector. With or without the creation of a new ministry, a study carried out by the CPI (Climate Policy Initiative), affiliated with PUC in Rio, shows that public policies aimed at small producers are necessary and give results.

The CPI evaluated the impacts of short courses and technical assistance offered by the ABC Cerrado Project.

This project is a federal government initiative that has US$ 23 million for rural extension, with the objective of adopting sustainable management techniques in the recovery of degraded pastures.

The result pointed out that small producers have little use of theoretical training. Associated with technical assistance, however, these trainings bring good results.

Priscila Souza, coordinator of the Public Policy Assessment of Financial Instruments at the CPI/PUC, says that small producers face some obstacles, both in terms of knowledge and finances.

Among the difficulties are schooling, learning ability, access to credit and fear of debt.

When training is associated with technical assistance, however, it results in better use and increased productivity.

The large producer, on the other hand, makes good use of the training and is more likely to put it into practice, also because it is often a specialized technician from the farm who participates in the course.

In addition to greater understanding, the large producer already has information and equipment for a change in management on his property, without the need for outside technical assistance.

Given this, the coordinator says there is room to rationalize the use of public resources and make public policies more effective.

Course administration is cheaper and can be offered to all producer profiles. Technical assistance, on the other hand, is more expensive and can be directed to small producers, who have more difficulties in putting the teachings into practice.

This paves the way for facilitating the expansion of rural extension projects and maximizing the positive impact on land use, according to the CPI study.

The cost of training in the project is, on average, R$ 1,100 per producer. Technical assistance costs R$ 5,700.

Priscila points out that this incentive and the recovery of pasture areas in Brazil are important. Currently, at least 52% of these areas have some stage of degradation.

The improvement of pastures increases productivity, shortens the slaughter age of animals, brings more income to the producer, reduces environmental impacts and less deforestation.

The producer is already aware that the felling of forests only brings profit to the violators, and that agriculture only loses, due to the occurrence of sudden climatic variations, such as drought or excessive rain.

Recovered pasture generates more meat, improves food security and reduces greenhouse gas emissions, says Priscila.

For Wagner Oliveira, CPI analyst, pasture recovery requires a good evaluation. Each case is different, and the type of soil, the region, the climate and the most suitable variety of plants must be taken into account.

The study involved 741 producers, and 72% of them had an area smaller than four fiscal modules (the modules vary in size, depending on the region of the country).

Small producers, with the help of technical assistance, manage to recover five hectares, an area that is expanded year by year. The study considered that small producers have a property of up to one hundred hectares.

According to the study, among producers with an area greater than one hundred hectares, 76% completed high school, above the 68% who own less than one hundred hectares.

With regard to machinery, 79% of large producers own tractors and other agricultural implements, while the percentage of smaller producers is 60%. With regard to taking out rural credit, the ratio is 68% for large and 54% for small ones.

Inflation in the wholesale Soybeans and cassava led the price pressure in the IPA (Wholesale Price Index) of the IGP-M in November. Cassava, which had already risen 6.5% in October, appreciated by 6.3% this month.

In the field A ton of cassava root costs R$ 1,150, according to Cepea (Center for Advanced Studies in Applied Economics). The product accumulates high of 15% this month.

farming Wholesale agricultural product inflation fell 1.46% this month, the same rate of decline as in October. With that, the accumulated inflation of this item in the year is 4%, accumulating 5.3% in 12 months, according to the FGV.