RURAL EXTENSION FOR LAND REFORM SETTLEMENT FARMING: AN ANALISIS OF THE GOOD INTENTIONS PROPOSED BY THE SERVICE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO LAND REFORM (ATES SERVICE)

Abstract

This paper analyses the creation of the Service for Environmental, Social, and Technical Assistance to Land Reform (ATES). This service was created by the Brazilian institute that is responsible for the implementation of the agrarian reform policies (INCRA) as an alternative to offer rural extension services to farmers in rural settlement situation. To study the principles, concepts and institutional framework ruled by INCRA, a comparative analyses consider the results of some studies about Projeto Lumiar, a previous experience similar to the ATES Service. Bringing some questions to debate, we argue that this proposal lacks better conceptual and methodological definitions. Considering the Lumiar experience, we argue that in the context of public policies, the proposals of change to unleash processes of administrative decentralization and the participation of the social actors involved in the management of those policies demand, from the public administrators, the knowledge of the institutional dynamic in which they will take place, an effort of political coordination and the definition of methodological principles and processes of professional qualification. The consideration of these factors is essential to the qualification of the assistance process of the actors and is fundamental to the success of this proposal.