Conselhos municipais de desenvolvimento rural sustentável: desafios e potencialidades na visão dos extensionistas da EMATER-MG em Minas Gerais

Abstract

The 1988 Brazilian Constitution promoted significant changes in public policies, notably the creation of management councils for sectoral policies. These councils, composed of representatives from the State and civil society, have a consultative and/or deliberative character, with the purpose of promoting social participation and the democratization of political decisions. In this context, the Municipal Council for Sustainable Rural Development (CMDRS) is a relevant example, having been established in 1997 as a requirement for municipalities to access resources from the National Program for Strengthening Family Farming (PRONAF). Over time, the CMDRS has evolved in its role as a strategic and innovative agent, becoming a participatory space in the formulation of public policies and in the construction of agendas for sustainable local development. These councils can be understood as instances of collective intelligence, capable of complementing or correcting market failures, promoting more inclusive, sustainable, and territorially integrated forms of development. The objective of this research was to identify, from the perspective of extension agents from the Technical Assistance and Rural Extension Company of the State of Minas Gerais (EMATER-MG), the operational status of the Municipal Councils for Sustainable Rural Development (CMDRS), verifying their approval by CEDRAF-MG, the existence of municipal legislation for their creation, and the main public policies addressed by the active councils in the municipalities of the state of Minas Gerais. The research is justified by the need to update information about the performance of CMDRS in Minas Gerais, aiming at the elaboration of a diagnosis that supports the entities in the sector in the construction of an action plan focused on their strengthening. The results obtained contribute to guiding public bodies and institutions in the formulation of policies to promote social organization and sustainable rural development, as well as encouraging the implementation, execution, and monitoring of public policies. From a methodological point of view, the survey method was adopted, through the application of a structured questionnaire, composed of closed questions, Likert-type scales, and mixed questions. The sample consisted of 814 extension agents from EMATER-MG, working in local offices in municipalities that have agreements for Technical Assistance and Rural Extension (ATER) with the institution. Data collection was carried out electronically, via email, using the Google Forms platform. The analysis of the results shows that the Municipal Councils for Rural Development (CMDRS) in Minas Gerais are widely disseminated, but still have uneven effectiveness, characterizing an intermediate stage of consolidation. The performance of the councils is associated with factors such as organizational structure, advisory services and technical support from EMATER-MG, social participation, and institutional articulation. Regional differences are also observed between EMATER-MG units, with better results in contexts of greater institutional capacity and local engagement. Despite advances in formalization and social participation, limitations persist regarding the effective functioning of the councils, as well as low homologation with CEDRAF-MG, which reinforces the need for regularization and institutional strengthening. A heterogeneous scenario is observed among municipalities and regions, with inequalities in the institutional capacity of the councils and a mismatch between their legal creation and their practical operation. Although most municipalities have legislation establishing them, this does not, in itself, guarantee their effective performance, even though a positive relationship is observed between legal support and active functioning. The Municipal Councils for Sustainable Rural Development (CMDRS) are recognized as fundamental bodies for sustainable rural development, especially in the implementation of public policies, notably the National School Feeding Program (PNAE), agricultural mechanization, farmers' markets, and rural credit. In municipalities where the councils operate effectively, greater reach, adherence, impact, and effectiveness of government actions are observed, reinforcing their strategic role in rural development. It is concluded that the main challenge lies not in the creation of new councils, but in strengthening existing ones through capacity-building actions, greater institutional articulation, and integration into the governance structures of sustainable rural development.