Farmers' satisfaction with different marketing channels in the extreme North of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Local agri-food markets have gained prominence in recent decades for their strategic role in promoting family farming, strengthening regional economies, and building more sustainable and resilient food systems. In this context, this study analyzed the marketing channels used by 31 family farmers in the Extreme North of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The research was conducted between October and November 2019 with the support of key informants and applied a structured script that investigated the farmers' profiles, their production, marketing channels, and levels of satisfaction with the channels used. The region studied is predominantly rural, with small farms (average of 21.76 hectares) and a strong presence of youth linked to the Casa Familiar Rural de Alpestre. Seven marketing channels were identified, with emphasis on street markets and sales at the farms, both with 48.39% participation. These proximity channels yielded higher satisfaction levels for farmers, with averages of 4.2 and 5, respectively, on a Likert scale from 1 to 5. Conventional channels, such as intermediaries and supermarkets, showed low satisfaction levels (average 2.5), mainly due to reduced prices and loss of product identity. Institutional channels (PNAE and PAA) were accessed by only 3.23% of the sample, although they were positively evaluated by the few farmers involved. The results indicate that proximity markets are preferred by farmers, as they strengthen social bonds, allow greater control over production and commercialization, and provide better economic and symbolic returns. The study's limitations lie in the small number of respondents and the regional specificity, which restrict the generalization of results. Nonetheless, the findings reinforce the relevance of short supply chains as viable strategies for strengthening family farming in rural areas. Comparative studies in similar contexts are recommended to deepen the understanding of local agri-food dynamics.