Influence of modern technology on small familyowned farms in the Brazilian savannah region: A case study of a settlement in Mato Grosso do Sul State

Abstract

The Savannah region is the second biggest biome in Brazil after the amazon forest. Today, the savannah is
Brazil´s largest region responsible for commodity production. Nevertheless, this production is concentrated
around large-scale farmers. Most of the small farmers representing the largest group of producers encounter
many problems ranging from low levels of production to income difficulties. The objective of the research was
to verify the influence of technology in problems encountered by small farmers installed in the Savannah
region. The research has been realized with a case study in a cooperative from the settlement São Manoel, in
the Mato Grosso do Sul State, Centre of Brazil. Praxeology, knowledge of how to use technology, has been
identified as the most important characteristic to explain the cooperative problems. For annual crops, in fertile
soils, technologies can be traditional and therefore the use of modern praxeology is not necessary. In poor
soils, typical of the Brazilian savannah, the necessity of modern technology requires the domination of more
complex praxeologies. Perennial crops and investments in special structures, such as green houses also
require modern technologies and adequate praxeologies, which were not available in the cooperative. The
results indicate the importance of extension services and training methods adapted to the technologies used.
Otherwise, the small producers of the Brazilian savannah are limited to traditional technologies, useful only
for crops with good climate and fertile soil, which represent a small part of the biome, mainly near rivers