Rural Development Program comes into effect this Monday

Paula Laboissière, reporter for Agência Brasil - Starting this Monday (24), family farmers with debts to banking institutions or the Union can renegotiate their debts and regain access to rural credit via the National Program for Strengthening Family Farming (Pronaf). According to the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Family Farming, discounts, through Desenrola Rural, are up to 96% of the debt value.

In a statement, the ministry informed that, with the start of the deadline, producers can now go to a bank branch to check their status with the institutions to which they have debts. Those with debts registered in the Federal Government's Active Debt have until May 30th to register for the Rural Settlement Program. For those with debts to Pronaf (National Program for Strengthening Family Farming), the deadline is December 31st.

The goal, according to the ministry, is to assist a total of more than 1,35 million farmers with outstanding debts for more than a year—more than 250 in 2025 alone. The proposal primarily involves those registered with the Federal Government's Active Debt—for this reason, the ministry emphasizes that there will be no loss to the Treasury. "The idea is to enable farmers to finance their production again."

"The measure will give family farmers, agrarian reform settlers, quilombolas, and other traditional peoples and communities the opportunity to renegotiate defaulted loans. This way, beneficiaries will be able to regain access to rural credit and increase the supply of healthy food for the Brazilian people."

Understand - The Rural Unraveling program was approved by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva this month and aims to include more farmers in rural credit. According to the ministry, some producers with debts no longer owe the bank, but remain on negative credit lists, known as negative scores. These are people who renegotiated their debts, but the banks kept them on a kind of negative list.

Ministry data indicates that, of the approximately 1,35 million family farmers with outstanding debts for more than a year, 70% have restrictions on their banks and 30% have restrictions on their credit protection services—many due to overdue water, electricity, and telephone bills. This number represents 25% of the 5,43 million farmers, settlers, and members of traditional communities eligible for Pronaf.

The survey conducted by the ministry also shows that 69% of financial debts were up to R$10; approximately 22% were between R$10 and R$50; and 9% were debts over R$50. Among non-financial debts, that is, those not related to loans, 47% of family farmers have debts of less than R$1, or less than a minimum wage.

"There will be no impediments to obtaining new credit for family farmers who have outstanding debts related to small debts, such as water, electricity, or telephone bills," the ministry reinforced.

How will it work:

- Anyone registered with the Federal Government's Active Debt system can, starting today, access the Regularize website using their CPF (Brazilian taxpayer ID) and select "Check Debt" to choose their payment options.

- If the debt is from Pronaf, or other loans acquired from banks, the interested party should contact their financial institution to regularize their situation.

- If the debt is for Installation Credit, the interested party can go directly to Incra to settle the debts with a discount or access the Citizen Service Center.

Those interested in joining the program can also seek assistance from unions, associations, and representative bodies.