From the farm straight to the university

The case reports the development of the Family Farming Food Acquisition Program at a Public University in Minas Gerais that, despite complying with the legislation and procedural rites, realized that the program would not be effective if there was no multidisciplinary action and a better understanding of the program's context. In this context, the team responsible for purchases seeks ways to make the program effective, for which they were faced with the following dilemmas: What are the real difficulties encountered by family farmers to participate in the process? and How can the University engage the community and relevant sectors to ensure the success of the family farming food procurement program? The present teaching case aims to reflect on bureaucracy in public procurement, serving as a basis for discussing theoretical and practical aspects of public procurement, public policies and public management practices.