THE DISCOURSE OF RECOGNITION AND THE PRACTICE OF INTERVENTION: A POLITICS OF NATIONAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND THE RURAL EXTENSION AS A SYSTEM OF SOCIAL JUSTICE FOR FAMILY FARM

Abstract

This article aims to discuss the situations related to the practice of social intervention and the discourse about the use of participative techniques as a way to promote the agroecological matrix and to recognize family farm members as the central actors of the
National Politics for Technical Assistance and Rural Extension (PNATER). The idea of participation is increasingly becoming stronger and is acclaimed by national and international agencies as one of the bases for organizing the elaboration of public politics and democratic deliberation, and has assumed an important role in the intervention processes that seek for a social change and also to help the actors involved in rural development to take decisions. The method was bibliographic review and the perception of the authors during the discussion concerning the organization of the fieldwork team of the Territorial Development Core (NEDET) was taken into account. Data were analyzed by using the Nancy Fraser justice theory and its principle of participatory parity. Results point to the importance of the participatory processes which seek for recognition and political representation of family farm against the agroecological practices of rural extensions taken by the public agencies of ATER and their technicians concerning the tutelary manner of performing public assistance of rural extension in the field.