A operacionalização do mercado institucional de alimentos no contexto do Vale do Rio Pardo : o caso da Cooperativa Leoboqueirense de Agricultores Familiares.

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the operation of institutional food market in the context of Vale do Rio Pardo, through a case study of the Cooperativa Leoboqueirense de Agricultores Familiares - COOPERLAF. The starting point is the consolidated and predominant presence of the tobacco supply chain in this region, which involves consider the institutional food market (through the PAA and the PNAE) as a concrete possibility of productive diversification of family farming. It is noted that the inclusion of family farmers in the institutional food market through COOPERLAF, has provided a “repeasantization” process. It´s is verified in the surveyed cases the increase in food production for self-consumption, greater productive diversification, social construction of markets and, consequently, greater autonomy from the tobacco production. Thus, it is argued that the “repeasantization” process promoted by farmers’ access to institutional food market is the opportunity to promote an endogenous and sustainable regional development in the Vale do Rio Pardo, by recognizing family farmers as healthy food producers.