Extensão rural e construção da equidade de gênero: limites e possibilidades

Rural extension in Brazil has favored the technological diffusion of intensive production practices, increasing socioeconomic inequalities in the rural environment, especially those related to gender. Due to the institution of the National Policy of Technical Assistance and Rural Extension (Pnater), the rural extension began to comply with the principles of gender equality for extension work. The objective of this work was to understand how rural extensionists of the official Technical Assistance and Rural Extension Agency of Espírito Santo, Brazil, understand their role in contributing to the construction of gender equity in family agriculture in the municipalities of Linhares, Rio Bananal and Sooretama. For that purpose, semi-structured interviews were issued to ten extension agents of the official institution of those municipalities. The data were transcribed, systematized and submitted to content analysis. Extension workers were naturalized with gender inequalities and did not develop actions that encourage female participation in public policies. Changes in the gender paradigms rooted in the rural extension should be stimulated both in the academy and in rural extension institutions aiming to implement the women participation in public policies for family agriculture.