PNATER AS A SOCIAL JUSTICE MECHANISM FOR FAMILY FARMING

Abstract

The objective of this article is to discuss the pertinent issues between the practice of social intervention and the discourse involving the use of participatory techniques as a way to promote the agroecological matrix, and to recognize family farmers as central actors of the National Policy
for Technical Assistance and Rural Extension (PNATER). The concept of participation has been consolidated in the field of method studies – in which it constitutes a significant instrument used in the intervention processes –, aiming at social change and helping the decision-making of the public involved in rural development actions. Methodologically, this article was elaborated based on a bibliographical review, and on the authors perception during the discussions that involved the fieldwork team of the Núcleo de Desenvolvimento Territorial (NEDET). In the data analysis, we turned to Nancy Fraser’s theory of justice and its principle of participatory parity. Among the results, we postulate that associating the concept of participation to the exercise of the idea of social justice can be of concern to the “romantic” professionals who see the use of participatory techniques as a solution to validate the political process of decision making.