Current scenario of pastures in the state of Tocantins

Abstract

The state of Tocantins is located in the new agricultural frontier of Brazil, a region that comprises Matopiba (a region comprised by the states of Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauí and Bahia). The state is characterized by cattle ranching, occupying 6.2 million hectares of planted pastures and with an effective cattle herd of 10 million head. Pastures occupy a prominent place in the beef production chain. In 2021, 79 million tons of meat and meat products were produced. The state has been seeking to adapt to sustainable production models, aiming at the intensification of these pastures, at the same time that agriculture has been expanding. There is a process of change in the use and occupation of these areas. Thus, this work aimed to describe the scenario of pastures in the state of Tocantins, to characterize the main changes and advances in the region and the economic prospects and future challenges. The research was developed in the format of a bibliographic review, and was based on selecting bibliographic sources through data collection, exploratory and selective reading, analysis and interpretation of the results found. For the present study, the dialectical method was used, based on arguing and counter-arguing with the ideas of different authors, integrating their ideas with the ideas of the researcher. The choice of this method, and because it is a bibliographic study, was made through the qualitative approach of exploratory character, at the time of interpretation. In this work, the exploratory study was adopted as a methodological strategy, through a bibliographic research, developed from material already elaborated, consisting of books and scientific articles. It is concluded that the pasture areas present stability in the state of Tocantins. There is a dynamic process in the use of these areas for agriculture and other purposes, with increased productivity in recent years, but it still faces challenges regarding the adoption of management practices.