6. DISCUSSION
This study analyzed the development conditions faced by
family farmers in Brazil as a mean for supporting the ongoing
international academic debate on the potential of family farming
to drive rural development and the agricultural growth
needed to satisfy the globally increasing demand for food
and other goods and services from agriculture (Wiggins
et al., 2010). The analysis clearly reveals that only some municipalities
and regions hold favorable conditions for modern
family farming; while for most of the country, poor availability
of assets as well as unfavorable context conditions hinder
the development of family farmers. This implies in the need
to discuss how to realize the potential through modern family
farming practices but also the need to explore alternatives for
farmers not fitting into the modernization paradigm. Alarming
figures, such as 62.31% of the family farmers having a total
income of less than one minimum wage and no more than
12.77% of households benefiting from agricultural policies,
suggest that the majority of people presently working on family
farms need development alternatives.