Participation of family agriculture in the national program of biodiesel

Abstract

The participation of family agriculture into biodiesel sector is one of the socials goals of Nacional Program of Production and Use of Biodiesel (NPPUB) in Brazil. After more than one decade of existence of this program, this study aims to understand how the NPPUB socials results evolved in reference to family participation into biodiesel sector. The study also considered the changes in the rules of family participation in the program and the diversification of raw material of biodiesel related to family agriculture. It was analyzed the program regulations, the data set on family farms and cooperatives by regions and the family income created within the NPPUB. The regulation created the multiplier index of raw material cost from family farms and cooperatives acquisitions and also allowed the inclusion of the value of the family lost harvest (frustration factor) in the computation of acquisition cost of family raw material. The participation of family farmers increased until 2011 when started to decrease until 2014, being that the northeast region represented the most part. The instruments (multipliers index and frustration factor) increased virtually the family raw material cost and it facilitating the Social Fuel Seal achievement. Therefore, the limitations of family production of raw material do not restricted the productivity expansion of biodiesel. The lost harvest of castor bean in northeast region and the stability of soybean supply of family cooperatives concentrated in the others regions, mainly in the south of the country.