Factorial and spatial analysis of agricultural modernization in MATOPIBA

Abstract

The MATOPIBA region, formed by the border municipalities of the states of Maranhão (MA), Tocantins (TO), Piauí (PI) and Bahia (BA), is identified in the literature as the last agricultural frontier in the country, resulting from the advance of agribusiness and of the growth of a production model supported by high mechanization. In this sense, the objective of this study is to analyze the situation of agricultural modernization of this geographic extension in the year 2017. For this, the methodologies used consist of the application of Factor Analysis (FA), Exploratory Analysis of Spatial Data (AEDE) and the estimation of the SAC spatial model, having the agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as the dependent variable and the factors as independent variables obtained by AF. The results found indicated the presence of seven factors; and only the intensive in capitalization of agricultural activity (F1), intensive in exploitation of the land factor (F2) and intensive in traditional agricultural machinery and implements (F3) were statistically significant. Therefore, it is possible to conclude that the concentration of some factors was identified in certain areas and that the region needs greater investments so that it can consolidate itself as an agricultural frontier