AGROAMIGO 18 ANOS DEPOIS: TRAJETÓRIA, DESAFIOS E PERSPECTIVAS DO PROGRAMA NO RIO GRANDE DO NORTE

Abstract

The objective of this article is to analyze the trajectory, challenges and perspectives of the Agroamigo Program in Rio Grande do Norte, from 2005 to 2022. For this, we studied official normative documents and the systematization of statistical data from official sources (IBGE. BNB and BCB). In general lines, the work shows that Agroamigo has expanded in its 18 years of existence both in number of contracts and in invested values, whose accumulated amount reached R$ 2.1 billion in investments in the state. It is noteworthy that the microcredit applied by the program has been distributed among male and female family farmers in all areas of the state, prioritizing the lower income segment. Operations are predominantly concentrated in the livestock sector and, to a lesser extent, in agriculture and other trade and service activities. The results obtained with the financing carried out by Agroamigo are diverse, with ongoing innovations being identified that can increase the sustainability and digital inclusion of the public served, as well as challenges to be faced in the Program's operation.