Estudo de caso: o protagonismo dos associados da COAFAR no Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar (PNAE), em Dois Vizinhos, PR

Abstract

The debate on family farming in face of the new productive reality in rural areas has been acquiring an important agenda in public policies for the development of institutional markets, reinforcing the structures of family farming and local development. Family farming is of great importance due to the generation of employment and income, food security and protagonism in local development. Due to the above context, it is important to know one of the government programs such as the National School Feeding Program (PNAE), which provides for the acquisition of products from family farming for school meals, passed on to Brazilian municipalities by The National Fund for Educational Development – FNDE. Through the PNAE, family farming cooperatives, organizations made up of individuals who seek the common benefit and participate voluntarily to benefit themselves and other members, had opportunities to access these markets. The objective of this work was to analyze the participation of family farmers from Cooperativa Agropecuária Familiar Rural (COAFAR), in the National School Feeding Program (PNAE), in the municipality of Dois Vizinhos - Paraná. The adopted methodology is characterized as exploratory, being a case study of qualitative approach, the data collection took place through the instrument of semi-structured interview, approaching 20 farmers associated with COAFAR and 5 members of the COAFAR board. Among the positive results found, we highlight, as a result of the cooperative action, the improvements in the properties both in the physical structures and in the acquisition of equipment by the farmers who participate in the PNAE. We noted the necessity of a production planning, which will contribute to the regularity of supply and greater commercialization of their products. The diversification of existing production is a force that can reduce threats, and it is up to the associates to invest in the production of new products that the market has demand for. It stands out as a threat, COAFAR's dependence on only one institutional market, the PNAE, requiring other alternatives. SWOT analysis proved to be an adequate and useful tool to point out strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Through this analysis, we can identify the strengths and weaknesses to be worked on so that opportunities can be achieved, eliminating or minimizing the threats that COAFAR associates are subjected to.