Análise dos factores determinantes na produção de hortícolas nos sistemas de cultivo praticados pelos pequenos produtores no Vale do Infulene

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the determining factors of vegetable production within the cultivation systems adopted by small-scale farmers in the Infulene Valley. To achieve this objective, both quantitative and qualitative methodological approaches were applied, including descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and logistic regression (Logit Model). The selection of participants was carried out through non-probabilistic sampling. The results obtained indicate that, among the ten factors analyzed, five explanatory variables proved to be statistically significant in determining the decision to produce vegetables: Level of education, crop life cycle, purpose of production, ease of production, and the influence of friends and neighbors. Evidence reveals that in the Infulene Valley, agriculture is predominantly practiced by producers with an average age of 44 years, which tends to limit the adoption of new practices and productive diversification. Furthermore, it was found that the production of horticultural crops is conditioned by technical feasibility factors, as well as by socioeconomic and behavioral variables that guide agricultural decisions