Identidade e resiliência na perenidade da agricultura familiar: uma análise qualitativa no Noroeste do Paraná

Abstract

Family farming plays a strategic role in Brazil’s economic, social, and environmental development, accounting for a significant share of food production and contributing to the maintenance of rural populations. However, the permanence of family farmers on their properties cannot be explained solely by economic factors, as it also involves symbolic, cultural, and social dimensions that influence their capacity to adapt to contemporary transformations. In this context, this thesis aimed to examine the relationship between identity and resilience in shaping the permanence of family farmers on agricultural properties. The study was conducted within an interpretivist paradigm, adopting a qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive approach with a phenomenological orientation. The methodological procedures included a literature review on identity, resilience, and family farming, an analysis of scientific articles published in national and international databases, and semi-structured interviews with family farmers from the northwestern region of Paraná, Brazil. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis, enabling the development of interpretative categories related to identity, resilience, and permanence. The findings revealed that family farmers’ identity is shaped by their connection to the land, family heritage, territorial belonging, and the appreciation of knowledge transmitted across generations. Resilience was expressed through adaptive strategies such as production diversification, technology adoption, reorganization of farming activities, and the strengthening of social support networks. The analysis demonstrated that identity and resilience operate interdependently, contributing to the continuity of family farmers in rural areas. The review of studies on identity showed that territoriality, food culture, family succession, social recognition, and resistance to the hegemonic agribusiness model are central dimensions of identity within family farming. It is concluded that the permanence of family farming results from the dynamic interaction between identity, resilience, and social, economic, institutional, and territorial factors, constituting a multidimensional phenomenon that goes beyond the limits of economic rationality.