Rural Settlement as an Agent of Agricultural Development in Brazil: Portrait and Challenges in the Context of the Brazilian Amazon

Objective: Study carried out in the Padre Josimo Tavares settlement project, located in the Brazilian Amazon, to portray the social reality, productivity and agricultural spatial distribution, as well as its implications for the preservation of the Amazon biome. Theoretical framework: The developmental measures adopted in the Amazon region, which include the creation of numerous settlement projects, did not consider the need to conserve natural resources. Currently, it is necessary to boost agricultural productivity combined with strategies that contribute to plant recovery and curb deforestation. Method: Data were collected in the field, and also spatial data were obtained, which were synthesized and analyzed using spatial, statistical and multicriteria analysis to verify the distribution and environmental suitability of agricultural activities. Results and conclusion: The settlers grow various plant products and most of them produce species strongly adapted to the region, which offers a productive advantage. Beef cattle farming is widely practiced; however, it is widely identified as the main cause of deforestation in the Amazon biome. To overcome this environmental obstacle, the recommended and discussed approaches were the implementation of agroforestry systems and zero deforestation commitment policies. Research implications: Knowing the socioeconomic and environmental reality of settlement projects is essential to identify strategies that increase, in an integrated manner, social, economic and environmental sustainability. Originality/value: Use of unpublished data obtained through field collections of the RADIS-UFV Project, the result of a partnership between the National Institute of Colonization and Agrarian Reform and the Federal University of Viçosa.