Agricultores Familiares da Caatinga e do Cerrado: Mapeamento para a Promoção de uma Transição Rural Justa no Brasil

This report maps family farmers in Brazil's Caatinga and Cerrado biomes, highlighting a stark divide in productivity and vulnerability. While Cerrado farmers have larger plots and higher yields, Caatinga farmers face extreme poverty, high illiteracy (over 50%), and a heavy reliance on subsistence farming and cisterns for water. The report argues that a 'just rural transition' must move beyond generic agricultural policies to provide targeted social support for the most vulnerable and 'leapfrog' technological opportunities for those interested in commercializing sustainable, low-carbon produce.

• Family farmers represent 76.8% of all rural establishments in Brazil but occupy only 23% of agricultural lands. Within the Caatinga and Cerrado biomes, nearly half of all Brazilian family farming establishments (1.9 million) are located, covering 30% of the country's area and 53% of its arable land.
• There are significant productivity and economic disparities between the two biomes. Family farmers in the Cerrado have larger properties (average 36.2 hectares) compared to those in the Caatinga (average 14.3 hectares) and generate nearly double the total production value (R$ 20.4 billion in the Cerrado versus R$ 11.2 billion in the Caatinga).
• Family farmers in the Caatinga face extreme vulnerability, characterized by high poverty levels and a heavy reliance on subsistence farming. 68.3% of family farmers in the Caatinga produce for their own consumption, compared to 43.5% in the Cerrado. Additionally, 53.5% of the population in the Caatinga lives on less than half a minimum wage, whereas the figure is 26.6% in the Cerrado.
• Gender and racial inequalities are evident in land distribution and leadership. In the Caatinga, black farmers lead 71.2% of small establishments, and women lead 24.2%, but they occupy smaller proportions of the total area (60% and 15%, respectively). Women in the Caatinga are particularly vulnerable, as most of their production is for subsistence and not for income generation.
• Access to technical assistance and information is severely limited, hindering the adoption of sustainable practices. Only 8% of family farmers in the Caatinga and 16.8% in the Cerrado receive technical assistance. Furthermore, education levels are low, with over 50% of family farmers in the Caatinga being illiterate.
• Production methods differ by biome due to water availability. In the Caatinga, 72% of producers rely on cisterns as their primary water source. In contrast, Cerrado farmers have better access to rivers, springs, or wells. While the Cerrado uses more chemical fertilizers, the Caatinga shows a higher prevalence of organic fertilizers, partly due to limited access to chemicals.
• A 'just rural transition' requires tailored policies that distinguish between subsistence farmers and those interested in commercialization. The report suggests a 'leapfrog' strategy for commercial-oriented family farmers to increase production through labor-intensive, low-carbon markets (like organic horticulture) without relying on heavy pesticide use.

APA

de Albuquerque, A., Assunção, J., Castro, P., Rashidy, N. H. E., & de Miranda, G. (2023). Agricultores Familiares da Caatinga e do Cerrado: Mapeamento para a Promoção de uma Transição Rural Justa no Brasil. Climate Policy Initiative. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Agricultores-Familiares-da-Caatinga-e-do-Cerrado.pdf

Chicago

de Albuquerque, Amanda, Juliano Assunção, Pablo Castro, Natalie Hoover El Rashidy, and Giovanna de Miranda. Agricultores Familiares da Caatinga e do Cerrado: Mapeamento para a Promoção de uma Transição Rural Justa no Brasil. Climate Policy Initiative, 2023. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Agricultores-Familiares-da-Caatinga-e-do-Cerrado.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=de Albuquerque |first1=Amanda |last2=Assunção |first2=Juliano |last3=Castro |first3=Pablo |last4=Rashidy |first4=Natalie Hoover El |last5=de Miranda |first5=Giovanna |title=Agricultores Familiares da Caatinga e do Cerrado: Mapeamento para a Promoção de uma Transição Rural Justa no Brasil |publisher=Climate Policy Initiative |date=February 2023 |url=https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Agricultores-Familiares-da-Caatinga-e-do-Cerrado.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dealbuquerque2023agricultores, author = {de Albuquerque, Amanda and Assunção, Juliano and Castro, Pablo and Rashidy, Natalie Hoover El and de Miranda, Giovanna}, title = {{Agricultores Familiares da Caatinga e do Cerrado: Mapeamento para a Promoção de uma Transição Rural Justa no Brasil}}, institution = {Climate Policy Initiative}, year = {2023}, month = feb, url = {https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Agricultores-Familiares-da-Caatinga-e-do-Cerrado.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }