Contributions to the peasant agriculture development and involvement around the bioceanic route in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

Abstract

Peasant agriculture is characterized by the food production for the family living, through its own consumption and sale, as well as for a lifestyle with a close relationship with nature and in community. Public policies are needed for the production and sale of its products, which can be stimulated by the expansion or creation of new marketing circuits, especially short ones. Moreover, the road infrastructure “modernization” can be attractive for the generation of new businesses, substantially impacting the surroundings of each major investment. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to problematize the debate on the peasant agriculture development and involvement, presenting some exploitation possibilities of the territorial singularities surrounding the passage of the bioceanic route in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul by the peasants. Our research methodology were secondary data from IBGE on agriculture and livestock, interviews with rural extension technicians and fieldwork from Campo Grande to Porto Murtinho, passing through the cities of Sidrolândia, Nioaque, Guia Lopes da Laguna and Jardim. It was observed that peasant agriculture can benefit from the spatial proximity to the bioceanic route if the peasants have political support from the State, universities, research institutions and non-governmental organizations in valuing their culture in the food production and promote articulations through short commercial circuits.