Land Use Planning and the Configuration of Local Agri-Food Systems (LAFSs): The Triple Border Between the States of Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo, Brazil as a Space of Possibilities

This study analyzes the establishment of Local Agri-Food Systems (LAFSs) in the triple-border region between the states of Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo, by identifying and mapping potential areas of primary peasant agri-food production. An integrated analysis of data sources was treated, processed, and integrated into a common spatial support. Land use and land cover data were used from demographic and agricultural censuses, from the Rural Environmental Registry, agrarian reform settlement projects and conservation units. Our study revealed that 23.73% of the regional area has potential for peasant production, identifying four regions that stand out in terms of this potential. The area presented livestock and animal husbandry as the main agri-food chain, with potential for processing within the territory itself, in addition to extractive activities in the Atlantic Forest biome. The results indicate that there are possibilities for the establishment of LAFSs as a local development strategy associated with social inclusion and environmental responsibility, although there is a need to expand and strengthen the transportation and marketing channels for products from these short chains. The cartographies produced aim to contribute as auxiliary instruments to land use planning and management, seeking to strengthen LAFSs at different scales of governance.