Taxonomy of Family Farming in Rio de Janeiro and Rio Grande do Sul: Performance, Sustainability, and Productivity

Objective: to develop a strategic taxonomy of family farming in Rio de Janeiro (RJ) and Rio Grande do Sul (RS), identifying productive profiles and analyzing their performance in sustainability and productivity, as well as the institutional and socioeconomic factors that explain disparities between states. Theoretical approach: the study integrates strategic taxonomies with the sustainable development agenda (SDGs), conceiving sustainability as a multidimensional outcome. Agricultural extension (ATER) and rural credit are framed as orchestrating mechanisms that reconfigure resources and capabilities; territorial governance and market structure condition outcomes. It assumes contingency via cooperative density, infrastructure, and policy access, proposing that combinations of resources–practices–institutions form distinct strategic gestalts that yield differentiated trajectories of productivity and sustainability. Method: amultivariate quantitative approach using data from the 2017 Agricultural Census (IBGE). An exploratory factor analysis synthesized variables into composite scales (loadings > 0.70), followed by two-stage clustering (hierarchical to define the optimal number; k-means for refinement). Robustness was tested via MANOVA, ANOVA, and Tukey procedures, with analyses conducted separately for each state. Results: four recurrent profiles — Incipient, Sustainable Traditional, Preserver, and Taker — emerged in both states, with regional specificities. Sustainable Traditional showed superior economic performance; Preserver excelled environmentally. RS outperformed RJ, associated with structured rural credit and broad ATER coverage, contrasting with institutional fragilities in RJ. Conclusion: regional heterogeneity demands segmented, territorially tailored policies. Strengthening ATER and structured credit is crucial to reduce productive inequalities, promote inclusion, and sustain economic and environmental outcomes. The study offers evidence-based inputs for differentiated strategies, anchored in a framework that connects typologies, public mechanisms, and sustainability.