Title: Models of rural development: the social and natural costs and studies of public sustainable management in Brazil

Authors: José Sobreiro Filho; Guilherme Magon Whitacker

Addresses: Department of Geography, Faculty of Science and Technology, UNESP – Universidade Estadual Paulista 'Julio de Mesquita Filho', Campus Faculty of Science and Technology, Roberto Simonsen St., No. 305, 19060-900, Presidente Prudente, São Paulo, Brazil ' Department of Geography, Faculty of Science and Technology, UNESP – Universidade Estadual Paulista 'Julio de Mesquita Filho', Campus Faculty of Science and Technology, Roberto Simonsen St., No. 305, 19060-900, Presidente Prudente, São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract: This article presents current data on agricultural and livestock production in Brazil, and discusses important aspects of the debate on the management of public policies for Brazil's rural areas. In doing so, this article seeks to contribute to the dialogue on sustainable public management in agribusiness and family farming. Considering the results of the expansion of agribusiness on rural development, we present data which contributes to an analysis of the agro-export production model and highlights its social and environmental impacts. Through an examination of government documents, documents produced by research agencies, and information retrieved from recent articles in international journals and from databases, our analysis attempts to shed light on the realities that lie behind the numbers and trends for agribusiness and family farming. As a final point, we examine Brazil's Food Acquisition Program - PAA in order to demonstrate that such a model, which promotes sustainable management in family farming operations, is both feasible and much more beneficial for Brazil and Latin America.

Keywords: agribusiness; family farming; modelling; rural development; social costs; natural costs; public sustainable management; public management; Brazil; sustainability; livestock production; agriculture; public policy; rural areas; environmental impact.

DOI: 10.1504/LAJMSD.2014.067384

Latin American Journal of Management for Sustainable Development, 2014 Vol.1 No.4, pp.251 - 270

Received: 06 May 2013
Accepted: 16 Jun 2013

Published online: 14 Feb 2015 *

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