Panorama socioeconômico e agropecuário do município de Arara–PB

Abstract

Family farming plays a fundamental role in Brazilian rural development, contributing to food production, employment and income generation, and the permanence of rural populations in the countryside. This study is characterized as descriptive research with a quantitative approach and documentary procedures. Its objective is to present a socioeconomic and agricultural overview of the municipality of Arara, Paraíba, with an emphasis on family farming. Secondary data from the 2017 Agricultural Census, provided by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), were used and organized into comparative tables involving Brazil, the Northeast Region, the state of Paraíba, the Curimataú Ocidental region, and the municipality of Arara. The analysis focused on information regarding the number of agricultural establishments, land area, employed workforce, economic activities, producers' characteristics, technical assistance, and production conditions. The results reveal the predominance of family farming in the municipality's agricultural structure, highlighting its significant participation in the number of agricultural establishments, rural employment, and land use. The study also identified the predominance of livestock activities, the low participation of young people in farm management, high levels of low educational attainment among producers, and limited access to technical assistance. It is concluded that family farming plays a strategic role in the socioeconomic development of Arara, Paraíba, reinforcing the need for public policies aimed at strengthening the sector and promoting sustainable rural development.