Extensão universitária como ferramenta estratégica para a tomada de decisões públicas municipais: A experiência do programa potencializa Paraíba em Guarabira-PB

Abstract

Municipal public management faces increasing challenges related to the formulation of effective public policies in contexts marked by financial limitations, scarcity of local data, and a lack of evidence-based strategic planning. In this scenario, university extension emerges as an important instrument for bridging the gap between academic knowledge and the demands of society, contributing to local development and improving the quality of public decisions. With this in mind, this study aims to analyze how university extension, through the Potencializa Paraíba Program, can contribute to informing the decisions of municipal managers in Guarabira-PB, with an emphasis on the agricultural and sustainable development sectors. The research was based on the analysis of secondary data, field observations, and open interviews with local social actors. The results indicate that the extension activities enabled the construction of socioeconomic diagnoses capable of identifying structural weaknesses, such as low rural technical assistance, infrastructure limitations, and difficulties in producers' access to institutional markets. On the other hand, relevant potentialities were identified, such as rural productive diversity and opportunities for integration between agriculture and rural tourism.