Land Use Policy
Abstract
Using survey interviews with 205 soybean farmers in Western Paraná, Brazil, this study investigates which household and farm characteristics are associated with plans to transfer a farm to the next generation. About 64% of respondents expected to pass on their business. Traditional gender norms shape those plans: households without sons were substantially less likely to expect succession, while larger farms were more likely to have a family successor. Farmers with college education were less likely to plan a transfer to their children, and participation in subsidized-credit programs aimed at smallholders was associated with a greater likelihood of succession. The findings suggest that credit programs and succession planning may help sustain family agriculture, while gendered expectations and declining fertility pose challenges.