Crédito Rural no Brasil: evolução e distribuição espacial (1969 – 2016)

Brazilian rural credit was institutionalized by Law No. 4829/1965, which created the National Rural Credit System (SNCR), and since 1969 it has financed the expansion of Brazilian agricultural activity. This article aims to analyze the spatial distribution of rural credit in Brazil between 1969 and 2016, considering the funding for agricultural and livestock activities. For this purpose, data in multiple formats, were acquired from the Central Bank of Brazil (Bacen), in order to analyze and map the spatial distribution of rural credit. The study shows that there is a concentration in the Central-South region. Those states have always captured most of the resources (annually since 1969, the South Center has captured more than 80% of rural credit). In the 1980s there was a relative increase in the fundraising in the Center West region (from 10.2% to ~ 33% between 1980 and 1989). This increase is related to the exploitation of the Cerrado areas and the advance of the Agricultural Frontier. Therefore, the states of the North and Northeast are the least affected by rural credit in Brazil. Historically, most states in the North and Northeast capture greater amount of credits for livestock activity in detriment of agriculture. The information on rural credit and its spatial distribution indicate that Brazil's land-use planning policy should consider a more equitable distribution of resources across its territory