Principais competências gerenciais de agricultores familiares sergipanos participantes do Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar (PNAE) perante os desafios impostos pela Covid-19

Abstract

This study aimed to verify the main managerial skills that can be perceived in the management of the business of family farmers in Sergipe participating in the National School Feeding Program (PNAE) in light of the challenges imposed by COVID-19. Methodologically, it was based on a case study, with a descriptive-exploratory approach, of a qualitative nature. To this end, a semi-structured interview script was used, containing open questions with qualitative data to understand the dimension of the problem, as it becomes clearer to understand the behavior and different views on the same subject. Twelve people were interviewed between may and july 2021. The testimonies of rural producers were obtained through face-to-face contact, phone calls or cell phone applications. The results revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic impacted rural family farmers in a multidimensional way: health, production, marketing, income and forms of communication. The rural landowners interviewed said that, despite the difficulties imposed by the pandemic, they have managed to overcome the challenges and market their products. Thus, it is concluded that the PNAE has not only been operational during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the cooperative members have adapted to the current reality, following protocols established by the health authorities, seeking to adopt sales modalities to try to maintain themselves in the market, including home deliveries, the supply of food directly to rural establishments and/or being delivered to supermarkets and middlemen, thus reducing the economic and social impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.