Socioeconomic diagnosis in the seven rural settlements in Tamarana - PR

Abstract

Brazilian agrarian issue, resumed especially in the 80s and 90s by rural social movements, has motivated several academic studies and governmental programs. The understanding of the mechanisms of income generation within productive units and life conditions of the settled farmers’ families is relevant for promoting the development of these families and the country. In this context, Tamarana, a town located in northern Paraná where 401 families of family farmers were settled in 17 rural settlements until 2008, stands out. The importance of family farmers settled in this town motivated the research presented in this work. The purposes of the study were to conduct a socioeconomic diagnosis in the seven rural settlements, contribute with the study of the agricultural production systems as well as of the farmers’ for the establishments of reference networks in rural settlements and provide information that contribute to the elaboration of public policies and plans of action of the rural area. The methodology, case study, used for the interviews and the dealing with the data was considered very useful for other cases. Primary data were obtained by means of personal interviews with 133 farmers’ families and the secondary data in several bibliographical sources. The data used in this work are part of the database of the Projeto Redes de Referências para Agricultura Familiar. The results of the research enabled the visualization of the social and economic characteristics of the settled families and the great variability of income and types of production systems and combinations within the systems. The families’ income come from several sources, especially the agricultural production, concentrated in production systems of the milk, grain and horticulture, the work carried out outside the settlement and the retirements. The families are satisfied for owning their own land, having a place to live and produce the food for survival.