Efeitos do Pronaf sobre a Produção Agrícola Familiar dos Municípios Tocantinenses

This study aimed to evaluate the Pronaf ’s ability to help reducing the gap between potential yield and actual output of agriculture in Tocantins. In terms of methodology, in addition to descriptive analyses, linear regression of the average and quantile regression were used. The research focused on Tocantins State, covering all municipalities (units of analysis), from 2002 to 2009. It was highlighted: the relative importance of agriculture for the economy in Tocantins, the significant participation of family agriculture in total industry output and the significant presence of Pronaf, which, apart from helping the process of legitimizing the family farm, as noted in early studies, has been shown capable to stimulate the production of plant and animal municipalities. Moreover, given the specificities of Pronaf in Tocantins, in terms of coverage and resource allocation, it is assumed that the findings give the program characteristics that also contribute for the process of reducing inequality in the state. However, although the program deserves the attention of policy makers, given their ability to stimulate local agricultural production, one must conceive it as a complementary intervention, since the family work, as recorded in literature, proved to be crucial in the productive performance of family farming.