A inclusão produtiva de piscicultores como fator de desenvolvimento da piscicultura no estado do Tocantins: avanços e gargalos

Abstract

Fish farming in the state of Tocantins is ranked 18th in national fish production. However, despite the favorable environment, such as input availability, edaphoclimatic conditions, and water availability, the state has a modest fish production compared to other Brazilian states. Characteristics such as low levels of productive and social organization and difficulties in accessing technical assistance services reflect on the pisciculturists' ability to be productively included in the market. In 2018, the Tocantins State Chamber of Fish Farming Development (CSP/TO) launched the State Fish Farming Development Plan (PDP/TO), which identified the main problems to be solved in the sector. Based on this, strategic actions were proposed by the Chamber to be executed with the aim of promoting Tocantins to be among the country's top five fish producers by 2027. Through these actions, a growth of 30% was observed from 2019 to 2022, reaching 17,350 tons of fish produced in 2021. Despite this growth, challenges and bottlenecks still exist in developing the overall fish production chain in the state to sustain growth indicators. Through interviews with CSP/TO members, including representatives from the state's aquaculture sector, this study aimed to analyze how fish farming contributes to the development of Tocantins by promoting the productive inclusion of fish farmers. Secondary data from CSP/TO minutes and literature information were also used. It was concluded that effective actions such as streamlining environmental regulation for fish farming, allowing the cultivation of the "tilapia" species, promoting tilapia farming in the state, providing tax incentives by exempting ICMS for fish marketing, facilitating access to credit, implementing online issuance of GTA and invoices, reducing electricity rates for fish farmers, promoting sector fairs and events, providing technical assistance to fish farmers, and ensuring legal security for new investors were implemented by CSP/TO with the participation and engagement of its members, which contributed to the productive inclusion of fish farmers in the development of fish farming in the state of Tocantins. However, despite efforts to develop fish farming in the state, actions are taking place in a disjointed manner among institutions, even though they operate within the same production chain. There is a need to establish effective partnerships or networks to establish a more targeted work dynamic that aligns with the sector's demands and the state's reality. Clearly, this is not a task for a single institution, highlighting the importance of intersectoral collaboration to achieve proper productive inclusion of fish farmers in markets.