Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with adopting technologies promoting soil conservation in Brazilian family farming in 2017. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to identify these factors to achieve this aim, with the territorial unit of analysis being the 558 Brazilian microregions delineated by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) in 2017. The adoption of soil conservation technologies by Brazilian family farming represents a multidimensional phenomenon, which is positively influenced by factors within the socioeconomic context (including access to technical assistance services and credit facilities, as well as participation in collective farmer organizations), as well as characteristics of rural properties (such as water availability and the presence of productive machinery and equipment) and the education level of the farmer. It was observed that adopting such technologies has the potential to contribute to an increase in the country’s Gross Production Value (GPV) of family farmers. The primary theoretical contribution of this study lies in validating factors associated with adopting soil conservation technologies within Brazilian family farming and the importance of family farmers’ participation in collective organizations (cooperatives, technical meetings, and seminars) to access technical assistance and credit services. Furthermore, the practical implications suggest the need for specific public policies, including the establishment of cooperatives and the organization of technical meetings and seminars nationwide, the conservation and preservation of springs and water bodies in rural areas, and the provision of dedicated credit lines for the acquisition of machinery and equipment by family farmers.