SUMMARY

PROVE (Verticalisation Programme of Small Agricultural Production) started in 1997 in Brasilia FD as a part of the strategy of the Federal District (FD) to encourage and add value to the produce of small farmers, reassuring their citizenship at the same time. In its four years, the programme worked exclusively with small, excluded producers, promoting the creation of 118 agro-industries with more than 100 products, and benefiting 178 families.

In this period producers organised themselves and created the PROVE Producers' Association (ASPROVE), establishing alliances with different

governmental institutions. ASPROVE was formed by extremely poor, rural and semi-illiterate producers, with no previous organisational experience; and it subsisted due to the political and organisational support of the FD government.

In 1999 DF authorities were renewed, PROVE was closed and the members of ASPROVE were again without support to develop their activities.

This study shows the achievements of PROVE, it also describes the reasons that led to its disappearance, and analyses ASPROVE failure as a representative organisation of small producers in Brasilia FD. Besides, it discusses the main difficulties to be considered when discriminating, in a positive way, the peri-urban and rural populations, which have been excluded throughout history.