Mapping family farming in Brazil’s Midwest: Assessing socioeconomic and environmental factors for enhancing regional food security

In Brazil, family farming is responsible for producing a large portion of the food that is part of the population's diet. However, its development is hindered by inequality in land distribution and access to productive resources, as well as the concentration of wealth generated by the expansion of large-scale agriculture. This situation is even more evident in the Midwest Region of Brazil, where there is a greater concentration of land at the expense of a greater environmental impact, particularly in terms of greenhouse gas emissions produced by agricultural practices. This study analyzed the spatial distribution of the proportion used for family farming (PFLA) and its spatial correlation and association with socioeconomic and environmental factors in municipalities in the Midwest Region of Brazil. Data from 466 municipalities in three states of the Midwest Region were analyzed. The Moran's Index (global and local) was used to analyze spatial correlation among municipalities. A Multiscale Geographically Weighted Regression model was adopted to analyze the association between PFLA and socioeconomic and environmental variables. The results show a greater predominance of non-family farming due to the existence of spatial clusters of municipalities with high or low values of the values of land used for family farming. Family farming was positively associated with population density, and the production value of corn and negatively associated with the land concentration index, GDP per capita, greenhouse gas emissions, and the production value of soybean. The study reveals spatial asymmetries in land use for family farming in Brazil’s Midwest, with non-family farming prevailing in areas of greater land concentration. Family farming shows positive associations with population density and corn production, and negative associations with land concentration, GDP per capita, soybean production, and greenhouse gas emissions. These patterns highlight structural constraints and suggest that, with adequate policy support, family farming may contribute to local food security.