Family farming and cooperativism in Rio Grande do Sul: between peasant continuities and the challenges of market integration
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
This article analyzes family farming and peasant cooperativism in Rio Grande do Sul, based on data from the 2017 Agricultural Census (IBGE) and the Ocergs System (2023). The research begins by acknowledging that, although family farming represents the majority of rural establishments in the state, a strong land concentration persists, which limits its economic autonomy. By engaging with classic (Chayanov, Shanin, Wolf) and contemporary (Ploeg, Schneider, Grisa) literature, the study seeks to understand to what extent cooperativism constitutes a strategy of resistance or one of subordinate integration into agribusiness. The article contributes to the academic debate by highlighting the ambiguity of gaúcho cooperativism: while it promotes productive inclusion, it runs the risk of reinforcing structural inequalities. Furthermore, it distinguishes itself by including an international comparative analysis, pointing out how Latin American and European experiences offer alternatives more aligned with agroecology and food sovereignty. It concludes that the strengthening of cooperatives rooted in democratic and solidarity principles is a necessary condition for consolidating a sustainable rural development model in Brazil.
Article Details
Section
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright and License
- The author(s) authorize the publication of the article in the journal.
- The author(s) guarantee that the contribution is original and unpublished and that it is not under review by another journal.
- The journal is not responsible for the opinions, ideas and concepts expressed in the texts, which are the sole responsibility of the author(s).
- The editors reserve the right to make textual adjustments and to adapt the article to the journal's guidelines.
Authors who publish in Retratos de Assentamentos retain the copyright of their work and grant the journal the right of first publication.
All articles are published open access under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Anyone may share (copy and redistribute in any medium or format) and adapt (remix, transform and build upon) the material for any purpose, including commercially, provided that appropriate credit is given to the authors and to the original publication in Retratos de Assentamentos, a link to the license is provided, and any changes are indicated.
Authors may enter into separate, non-exclusive agreements for the distribution of the published version of the work (for example, in an institutional repository or as a book chapter), with acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (for example, in institutional repositories or on their personal websites) before and during the editorial process.
How to Cite
References
ABATE, G.; FRANCESCONI, G. N.; GETNET, K. Efficiency of smallholder agricultural cooperatives: evidence from Ethiopia. Agricultural Economics, v. 45, n. 3, p. 317–330, 2014.
BRASIL. Constituição da República Federativa do Brasil de 1988. Brasília: Senado Federal, 1988.
BRASIL. Lei nº 5.764, de 16 de dezembro de 1971. Define a Política Nacional de Cooperativismo, institui o regime jurídico das sociedades cooperativas e dá outras providências. Diário Oficial da União, Brasília, 20 dez. 1971.
BRASIL. Lei nº 10.406, de 10 de janeiro de 2002. Institui o Código Civil. Diário Oficial da União, Brasília, 11 jan. 2002.
BRASIL. Lei Complementar nº 130, de 17 de abril de 2009. Dispõe sobre o Sistema Nacional de Crédito Cooperativo e revoga dispositivos da legislação anterior. Diário Oficial da União, Brasília, 20 abr. 2009.
CHAYANOV, A. V. A organização da unidade econômica camponesa. Buenos Aires: Nueva Visión, 1974.
CHAYANOV, A. V. A teoria das cooperativas camponesas. São Paulo: Expressão Popular, 2017.
COSTA, C.; VIZCAINO, R.; COSTA, L. Cooperatives and rural development: evidence from Brazil. Journal of Rural Studies, v. 75, p. 123–135, 2020.
FERNANDES, F. et al. Smallholder cooperatives and market access in Brazil. Food Policy, v. 77, p. 65–78, 2018.
FISCHER, E.; QAIM, M. Linking smallholders to markets: effects of cooperatives on productivity and income. World Development, v. 40, n. 1, p. 66–77, 2012.
FRANCESCONI, G. N.; RUBEN, R. The impact of producer cooperatives on smallholders’ technical efficiency: evidence from Ethiopia. Journal of African Economies, v. 21, n. 1, p. 241–276, 2012.
GUASSELLI, D. Cooperativismo e desenvolvimento rural no Brasil. Campinas: Unicamp, 2002.
GRISA, C.; SCHNEIDER, S. (Orgs.). Políticas públicas de desenvolvimento rural no Brasil. Porto Alegre: UFRGS, 2020.
HELLIN, J.; LUNDY, M.; MEIJER, M. Farmer organization, collective action and market access in Mesoamerica. Food Policy, v. 34, n. 1, p. 16–22, 2009.
IBGE. Censo Agropecuário 2017: Resultados definitivos. Rio de Janeiro: IBGE, 2019.
MINATEL, E.; BONGANHA, D. C. Crédito rural e cooperativas agropecuárias no Brasil. In: SILVA, C. A. B.; BAPTISTA, A. J. M.; FILHO, J. L. R. (org.). Agricultura, cooperativismo e crédito rural. Campinas: Alínea, 2015. p. 243-262.
PIRES, M. J. de S. Cooperativismo no Brasil: trajetória e perspectivas. São Paulo: Cortez, 2004.
PLOEG, J. D. Van der. The New Peasantries: Struggles for Autonomy and Sustainability in an Era of Empire and Globalization. London: Earthscan, 2008.
OCERGS. Expressão do Cooperativismo Gaúcho 2024 (ano-base 2023). Porto Alegre: Sistema Ocergs, 2024.
SILVA, P.; et al. Agricultura familiar e cooperativismo no Brasil: avanços e desafios. Revista Brasileira de Gestão e Desenvolvimento Regional, v. 10, n. 3, p. 45–62, 2014.
SOUSA, A. C. Histórico do cooperativismo no Brasil. Brasília: OCB, 2009.
SCHNEIDER, S. A pluriatividade na agricultura familiar. Porto Alegre: UFRGS, 2016.
SHANIN, T. Defining Peasants. London: Routledge, 2005.
VAN DER PLOEG, J. D. The New Peasantries. London: Earthscan, 2008.
ORTEGA, D. L. et al. Agricultural cooperatives and smallholder productivity: a global overview. Food Policy, v. 87, p. 101737, 2019.
WOSSEN, T. et al. Agricultural extension and technology adoption: evidence from cooperative membership in Nigeria. World Development, v. 95, p. 1–15, 2017.
WANDERLEY, M. N. B. Agricultura familiar e campesinato: trajetórias e perspectivas. Porto Alegre: UFRGS, 2004.
WOLF, E. Sociedades camponesas. Rio de Janeiro: Zahar, 1976.
ZHANG, X. et al. The role of cooperatives in improving smallholder livelihoods: global evidence. Agricultural Systems, v. 181, p. 102841, 2020.
TOMAZZONI, L.; SCHNEIDER, S. Agricultura orgânica e cooperativismo no Brasil. Porto Alegre: UFRGS, 2020.
RIBEIRO, E. Cooperativismo e agricultura familiar: desafios e perspectivas. Porto Alegre: Editora da UFRGS, 2012.