Essay on territories induced by public policies in Brazil: the experience of the Alto Oeste Potiguar

Abstract

The territorial approach, when conceiving the rural as a space, proposing the overcoming of the rural-urban dichotomy and being concerned with the need to articulate the top-down and bottom-up actions, has been considered a relevant strategy for the discussion and promotion of rural development processes proving in the implementation of public policies. In Brazil, the National Program for Sustainable Development of Rural Territories (Programa Nacional de Desenvolvimento Sustentável dos Territórios Rurais in Portuguese, or PRONAT) and the Territories of Citizenship Program (Programa Territórios da Cidadania in Portuguese, or PTC) stood out. These programs induced inter-municipal socio-productive arrangements aiming to reduce inequalities and promote economic dynamism. This article analyzes the limits and possibilities of these actions, taking as a case study the Alto Oeste territory, located in the state of Rio Grande do Norte (Brazil). Contributions of literature are used to the analysis of territorial development, and documents on the process of constitution and functioning of the territory are analyzed, fieldwork is carried out with semi-structured interviews with members of the Collegiate, and secondary data are analyzed. In addition to some possibilities found, such as the creation of a concertation space and the discussion of projects that would benefit the main guiding idea of the territory (cattle culture), the experience of this territory suggests the low participation of public and private actors in the Collegiate, embeddedness power relations, reduced social capital, and problems related to projects financed. It is concluded that the territory has suffered relevant limits to incorporate the territorial approach of development, raising a set of actions to mitigate this problem. Moreover, it is understood that the territorial approach is relevant, but requires a more concrete interaction between state and society in the construction of the development.

Keywords
public policies; rural territorial development; Brazil; Rio Grande do Norte; Alto Oeste territory