THE INCLUSION OF WOMEN IN FAMILY FARMING: LIMITS AND CHALLENGES IN BRAZIL
Rural women. Family farming. Public policies. Gender equity.
Family farming constitutes the basis of food production in Brazil and plays an essential role in food security and rural development. This study aimed to analyze the limits and potential of federal public policies for the productive inclusion of female family farmers from 2000 to 2025. The research, which used a qualitative approach, utilized documentary and bibliographic analysis of legislation, reports, IBGE censuses, and academic literature. Programs such as PRONAF, PAA, PNAE, PNATER, PMCMV-Rural, and PGPAF were investigated, seeking to understand their impact on female protagonism in rural areas. The results demonstrate progress, such as the strengthening of PRONAF Mulher and the prioritization of women's food purchases in the PNAE, but also point to structural limitations: bureaucratic barriers, low land ownership, budgetary instability, and a lack of technical assistance with a gender focus. The conclusion is that, although public policies have contributed to increasing the visibility and economic autonomy of rural women, inequalities persist, requiring integrated and ongoing strategies to effectively promote gender equity and sustainable rural development.