Caracterização do Desenvolvimento Rural nos Biomas Cerrado e Amazônia da Região Tocantina do Maranhão.

The agricultural sector in Brazil is vital to the country's trade balance and faces the challenge of balancing economic growth with the conservation of natural and socio-cultural resources. The Tocantina Region (RT) of Maranhão, located in the Cerrado and Amazon deforestation arcs, has high levels of social inequality. This study characterizes the rurality of the RT using the Rural Development Index (IDR), analyzing 18 indicators in the environmental, social, economic and demographic areas. Between 1985 and 2022, land use according to Mapbiomas data showed a reduction in forest remnants and an increase in pastures, with significant transitions to pastures in the last decade due to livestock farming. The IDR revealed low development in the RT, attributed to the limited económico impact of agricultural activities on social capital. This highlights the need for strategies that promote sustainable rural development, reconciling economic expansion, environmental preservation and social improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]