This Law establishes the Time to Sow Programme (Programa Tempo de Semear) in the State of Maranhão. Its principal objective is to provide financial assistance to eligible farmers as a means of encouraging agricultural production, stimulating economic and social development in municipalities, increasing commercialization opportunities, generating income, and improving the quality of life of rural producers. The Programme seeks to facilitate farmers’ access to seeds, agricultural inputs, and equipment, thereby strengthening productive activities, expanding cultivated areas, and increasing agricultural productivity throughout the State. It also focuses on supporting regions with significant agricultural potential and on benefiting farmers already registered in government programmes related to agriculture. The Law further promotes food security, sustainable agricultural development, social inclusion, and local economic growth. It encourages farming practices that preserve the environment and biodiversity, strengthens technical assistance services, and supports small-scale farmers, family farmers, Indigenous communities, and quilombola communities. Financial assistance is provided through a bank debit card that may be used exclusively for the purchase of seeds, inputs, and agricultural equipment. The legislation establishes eligibility requirements, reserves 30% of programme places for women farmers registered in the National Family Farming Registry (CAF), and requires transparency in programme implementation through the public disclosure of beneficiaries and financial execution data. It also introduces sanctions for the misuse of programme resources and assigns implementation responsibilities to the State Secretariat for Agriculture and Livestock (SAGRIMA).
Brasil · 2025-09-18