Índice de sustentabilidade da produção da pecuária leiteira nas mesorregiões do Brasil

Abstract

This research has the general objective of creating a sustainability index for dairy farming in the mesoregions of Brazil (INPEC). The measurement of the index was performed using multivariate techniques through factorial and cluster analysis. It was thus possible to hierarchize the mesoregions by tracing a spatial overview of the analyzed locations. It is noteworthy that in the mesoregions of the South and Southeast, as well as in Bahia and Minas Gerais, high levels of INPEC were observed, however when performing the spatial analysis, the Center South of Bahia proved to be insignificant in terms of spillover effects, that is, the advent of dairy activity does not spill over into the neighborhood. The low level of sustainability was related to lack of technical guidance, low availability of water resources, low level of disease control, little schooling, and low productivity. The mesoregions with the highest levels of INPEC had a greater number of agricultural establishments with electricity, use of their own land, greater numbers of establishments that produced milk, family farming, establishments that did not use pesticides as well as those that use food supplements.