Financial Management and Economic Sustainability in Sociobiodiversity Supply Chains: Evidence from Family Farming in the Brazilian Cerrado

The research examined financial management as a strategic factor associated with the economic sustainability of family farming production units engaged in sociobiodiversity supply chains, with a focus on the municipality of Iporá, Goiás, Brazil. It was based on the understanding that the sociobiodiversity products of the Brazilian Cerrado, in addition to their environmental, social, and cultural value, can be an important source of income and help strengthen rural communities when supported by appropriate management practices. From this perspective, the research sought to understand how family farmers in the region organize their financial management processes, establish pricing strategies, control production costs, and use management tools. It also aimed to identify the main challenges and opportunities related to the economic sustainability of these activities. Furthermore, a practical guide was developed to assist producers in addressing real challenges encountered throughout the production process. Methodologically, the research was characterized as exploratory and descriptive, adopting a mixed-methods approach that drew on a literature review, documentary analysis, field observations, and questionnaires administered to 52 family farmers, selected through non-probabilistic convenience sampling, in the region, and analyzed through descriptive statistics and Fisher’s exact test. The findings indicate that, although sociobiodiversity represents a relevant alternative for generating employment and income, significant weaknesses remain in the financial management of production units, particularly regarding the informality of financial controls (only 15.4% use spreadsheets and 57.7% do not separate household from production expenses), difficulties in measuring production costs (only 25.0% calculate them in detail), and limited access to financial resources. These findings are specific to the studied region and should not be generalized beyond this context.