CATI is the technical assistance agency of Sao Paulo State, Brazil. It assists over 324,000 agricultural producers. While Sao Paulo is a major producer of sugarcane and oranges, family farms represent 66% of agricultural systems and occupy 15% of agricultural land. CATI provides services like access to credit, seeds, projects, and information. It implements federal programs but does not receive associated resources. CATI participates in externally funded projects. A successful World Bank project improved incomes and productivity for indigenous and quilombola communities through participatory planning, training, processing, and partnerships. Challenges include limited resources, contract stability for technicians, and preparing extension agents for new paradigms.

1. 1
CATI: An overview of the institution and its
activities
By Cristina Sette
September 13, 2013
Overview of the agricultural sector in Sao Paulo State, in a national context
The State of São Paulo, located in the Southeast part of
Brazil, has the highest GDP of Brazil (R$ 1.24 trillions) and
one of the most important economies of Latin America.
Sao Paulo State has a diversified farming system, going
from very small properties, rural settlements, Quilombos1,
to middle and large exporting farms. Sao Paulo State is also
a large populated State, with the most important port of
Brazil, which favors exports.
São Paulo is the biggest producer of sugarcane (55.6%) and
orange (74.9%) in Brazil, which requires large extensions of
land and labor intense, characteristics of non-family agriculture. However, the State has a
significant proportion of staple food production in the hands of family farming, which represent
66.3% of the total farming systems in Sao Paulo, occupying 14.7% of the total State area engaged in
agricultural production.
In the national context, family agriculture in Brazil plays a major role in producing food, as
illustrated in Table 1 below.
Table 1. Family Farming Production (Source: IBGE, 2006)
Commodity
% of the Total National
Production
Cassava 83
Beans 69.6
Maize 45.5
Coffee 38
Rice 33
Wheat 21
Milk 58
Pork 59
Poultry 51
Beef 30
The national proportion of family agriculture is 84.36%, distributed on 24% of the total agrarian
land. The national average size for a family property is 18,34ha, while for non-family agricultural
system is 313,3 ha.
1
Quilombos are settlements for mainly African origin slaves who escaped from plantations, and other marginalized
minorities (Brazilian aboriginals, Jews and Arabs), created during colonization.

2. 2
In relation to income, in 2006, according to IBGE, only 69% of small holder farmers declared to have
an income. From those who declared an income, the average annual income was of R$14,000
($6,160) with the sales of vegetables, and animals and its products. According to IBGE, 1.7 million
farmers declared to have alternative sources of income, mainly from retirement pensions (65%)
and salaries from activities outside the farm (24%). Other sources of income reach small holder
farmers through social programs, such as Bolsa Familia, a cash transfer program.
In terms of agricultural activities and land use at national level, family agriculture and non-family
agriculture shares similar percentages, as illustrated in Table 2 below.
Table 2. Brazilian Land Use (Source: IBGE, 2006)
Land Use (%)
Pasture
Agro-
forest
systems Farming Preservation
Family Agriculture 45 24 22 9
Non Family
Agriculture 48.8 28 17 6.2
Public technical assistance and rural extension in São Paulo State is conducted by the Directorate of
Technical Assistance (Coordenadoria de Assistência Técnica Integral - CATI). Other institutions
provide technical assistance and rural extension services in São Paulo, such as inputs companies,
NGOs, farmers associations, and rural unions.
Overview of CATI and its structure2
The Directorate of Technical Assistance (CATI) is part of the Sao Paulo State Secretariat of
Agriculture and Supply, supervised by the State Governor’s office. It differs from other States in
Brazil for its lack of autonomy to negotiate State resources allocation. In other States, like Minas
Gerais, the head of the extension agency (EMATER) negotiates directly with the Governor’s office
the State priorities and resources.
CATI’s HQ is located in Campinas, but is
present in almost all municipalities of São
Paulo State. The State is divided into 40
regions and each region contain Houses of
Agriculture (Casa da Agriculture), which are
small units responsible for interacting with
farmers and implementing CATI’s projects and
programs. A total of 594 CATI offices (Houses
of Agriculture) spread in all regions assist 645
municipalities, with around 324, 600 units of
agrarian production (UPAs). From those UPAs,
48% benefit from CATI’s technical assistance,
2
http://www.cati.sp.gov.br/new/index.php
Figure 1. Regional
distribution of São Paulo
State

3. 3
while 30% are assisted by private technicians. About 22% do not require or benefit from technical
assistance (Source: CATI 2007 census LUPA http://www.cati.sp.gov.br/projetolupa/).
CATI’s services are as following:
• Support to farmers to access microcredit (Sao Paulo State credit for expanding agriculture –
FEAP; National Program for Family Agriculture - PRONAF)
• Selling of certified seed and seedlings
• Access to economic, social and environmental projects
• Access to project CATI milk, to improve livestock production and milk quality
• Access to information about new programs, projects and public policies (e.g. PAA – Program
to Acquire Food; PNAE – National Program to School Feeding; CONAB – National Company
for Supply); Program Pro-Tractor)
• Capacity building for rural producers and workers
• Support to Municipal Councils for Rural Development in policy formulation
The structure of CATI follows a vertical management structure, with a general coordinator
appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture. Usually CATI’s coordinator is selected among CATI’s staff.
The Secretary of Agriculture members are nominated by the Governor. The career development in
CATI is based on two criteria: time in service and merit. The initial salary of a CATI’s technician is
about R$3,800 ($1650).
Overview of resources designated to CATI and its distribution
CATI depends on the State resources allocated to the Secretary of Agriculture, which corresponds
to 0.85% of the total State budget (Source: São Paulo State Budget 20133), a figure which has been
decreasing with years, according to Mr. Maiorano, Regional Director of CATI.
Figure 2. Agricultural Budget Distribution (Source: São Paulo State Budget)
Figure 2 illustrates the total agricultural budget allocation, under the State Secretariat of
Agricultural and Supply. For operational activities, CATI received in 2012 4.9% of the total budget.
3
http://www.planejamento.sp.gov.br/noti_anexo/files/Lei_14925_de_28-12-12.pdf

4. 4
Since 2006 the Secretariat of Agriculture and Supply of Sao Paulo State does not have an agreement
with Federal government. Therefore, Sao Paulo State does not participate directly in Federal
programs, or receive Federal resources. The lack of a relationship is heavily related to political
disputes, between the State and the Federal government.
In addition to State resources, CATI participates in projects and programs financed by external
donors, such as UNDP and the
World Bank. An example of a
program is called Microbacias I
and II (Watershed I and II), which
will be described later.
Overview of CATI’s
technical assistance
approach and programs
From the interviews carried out,
it was perceived that CATI’s main
activity is to support farmers to
access microcredit (e.g.
PRONAF4, FEAP5). CATI has also
other activities, such as the
development and
commercialization of seeds and
seedlings, and fostering
watershed projects. CATI’s main
focus, since its creation, is to
work within the agricultural
property, helping farmers with
production and productivity.
CATI supports the implementation of Federal programs, mainly by disseminating information about
the programs among farmers, but does not receive resources from these programs, such as the
Food Acquisition Program (PAA6) or the National School Feeding Program (PNAE)7.
4
The National Program for Strengthening Family Agriculture (PRONAF) provides financial support to agricultural
activities or not (e.g. rural tourism and handicraft production) explored through direct employment of the labor force of
the farmer and his family. http://www.cati.sp.gov.br/new/projetosprogramas.php?ID=1
5
Funds for Expansion of Agribusiness (FEAP) is a fund of the State of São Paulo, linked to the Secretary of Agriculture,
which strengthens and supports the development of farmers, artisanal fishery, their cooperatives and associations
across the State, through lines of credit for various agricultural activities.
http://www.cati.sp.gov.br/new/projetosprogramas.php?ID=7
6
Programa de Aquisição de Alimentos (PAA), created in 2003 and managed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock
(MAPA)
7
Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar (PNAE), initially created in 1955, but reformulated in 1983. The program is
managed by the Ministry of Education. In 2009, a new law determines the use of at least 30% of the resources to be
spent purchasing products from family farms, giving priority to agrarian reform, and traditional and indigenous
communities. http://portal.mda.gov.br/portal/saf/programas/alimentacaoescolar
Box 1. Municipality Itatiba
Itatiba is a municipality located 80km from Sao Paulo city, and was considered
the third city with highest life quality in Brazil, according to the IFDM index for
employment and income, education and health1
. The Itatiba region has high
productions of fruit and counts with the presence of cooperatives for fruit
producers (e.g. Coop in Jundiai).
Farmers are well organized and about 80% of properties fall under the family
farming category.
The agronomist Mr Jose da Silva works with a small team of agronomists at the
CATI’s station in Itatiba, which comprises 773 units of agrarian production
(UPAs), going from 1 hectare (10,000m2
) to 2000 hectares. From those units, 409
do not make use of technical assistance (Source: CATI 2007 census LUPA.
The farmers in the region are diversifying income by engaging in ecotourism.
There are initiatives among quilombolas, but outside the agricultural sector, such
as ethnical restaurants and rural tourism.
Most challenges faced by small holder producers are not related to technical
assistance, or the production per se, but commercialization of products.
Other challenges faced by farmers are related to lack of rural labor to support
production, and the real estate speculation, which due to the location of the
Itatiba municipality, closer to high populated urban centers and industrial areas,
sees farmers selling their land to investors.
Most of the daily routine of Itatiba’s House of Agriculture consists of assisting
farmers to have access to microcredit, on which CATI receives 1,5% of the total
requested by the farmer.

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Monitoring and Evaluation approaches
CATI’s projects and activities do not have monitoring and evaluation systems, or indicators. The
State Planning and Budget Office works with ‘goals’ for each activity, for accountability purpose.
Projects financed by external donors
have indicators, set by the donors (e.g.
World Bank). In terms of planning,
there is an annual planning done by the
Secretary of Agriculture, which includes
the overall operational planning. Each
“House of Agriculture” does a monthly
plan with the regional coordinators at
CATI, based on resources available and
annual goals.
Overview of CATI’s involvement in the development and implementation of
PNATER
CATI had some participation in the development of the national policy PNATER, but it took some
time for technicians at CATI to incorporate the PNATER language and approach. Before PNATER,
CATI worked with small, medium and large farmers, and after the PNATER the denominations
changed and family agriculture, as a farming system and characteristic, was made more prominent.
Foresight work done by CATI
About future tendencies for the agricultural sector in Sao Paulo State, Mr Maiorano indicated that
he has no knowledge of foresight discussions among senior management.
Example of a successful program
CATI is implementing a project called Microbacias II (Watershed II), funded by the World Bank with
a $78 million loan from 2010 to 2015. The project
addressed two important issues: income and
employment in rural areas, targeting indigenous
communities and Quilombos. The original project
proposal can be found at the World Bank website8
The project, presented by Dr Abelardo from CATI, works
with indigenous communities who live in large protective
areas, with very low productivity and in extreme poverty
8
More information at http://www-
wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2009/02/11/000104615_20090211171652/Rendere
d/PDF/Integrated0Saf1et010Appraisal0Stage.pdf
Figure 3. Evaluation of product quality (Source:
Project document)
Box 2. Municipality Vinhedo
CATI’s station in Vinhedo has one CATI’s technician responsible for
the activities in the region, Mrs Klimionte. Vinhedo comprises 226
units of agrarian production (UPAs), going from 1 to 500 hectares.
From those units, 189 do not make use of technical assistance. The
majority of UPAs are of up to 5 ha (134 units, 59%).
CATI has no resources to make the CATI’s office in Vinhedo more
proactive. There are no resources to buy petrol to an old car parked
outside the office. Most of the work done in this station is towards
helping farmers to access PRONAF and other microcredit programs.
There are several potential programs and activities that the Vinhedo
office could perform, but lack of infrastructure and resources limits
the work of the technician.

6. 6
conditions. The project covers 1032 indigenous families, and 1699 quilombola families, in Sao Paulo
State. The project follows the “Dragon Dream9” approach and is composed of a multi-disciplinary
group, with sociologists,
agronomists, veterinaries and
private firms involved.
One of the activities of the project,
presented by Dr Abelardo, was
the support to a group of
indigenous families who cultivate
cassava. The project has
introduced new technologies and
practices to the group, who
changed the variety cultivated
and adopted improved techniques
to achieve a much higher
production. The project
introduced processing facilities
and techniques, which have provided
employment and a higher income for indigenous families who participate in the project.
The project results are systematically reported to the World Bank, following the monitoring and
evaluation approaches established by the Bank. The table below illustrates the results from the
Ekeruá indigenous community, where approaches for planning, monitoring, processing and
commercialization were applied.
Period
Cultivated
Area
Production
Harvested Productivity Income
2011/12 24 ha 240 tons 10,0 ton/ha R$ 72,000
2012/13 38 ha 450 tons 11,8 ton/ha R$ 219,000
2013/14 70 ha 1050 tons 15,0 ton/ha R$ 580,000
In total 43 families, involved in the production of cassava, direct benefit from the project. The
income is distributed according to the production of each family. In addition, 25 individuals,
members of the indigenous community, are employed in the cassava processing factory.
The project is considered very successful, mainly due to the following reasons:
• Participatory needs assessment and planning
• Training and capacity building
• Technical assistance
• Partnership with the private sector (market)
Challenges faced by CATI
Mr Maiorano indicated some main challenges for CATI, as an institution, and for its managers and
technicians. For 15 years CATI had no hiring, done through a public competition. The number of
9
Dragon Dreaming is a holistic method for the implementation of creative, collaborative, sustainable projects.
http://dragondreaming.org/en/dragon-dreaming/
Figure 4. . Cassava processing (Source: Project document)

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technicians is low to cover the number of properties to assist. Another related challenge is about
the contract stability of technicians. Contracts are difficult to be discontinued and the system does
not provide incentives for outstanding performance, or encourage awards.
According to Dr Aberlardo, the biggest challenge for institutions dealing with rural extension is the
technical education received by extension agents, who are not prepared to work with a different
paradigm than technology generation and diffusion.