Diversificação produtiva em assentamentos rurais na Zona da Mata de Pernambuco.

Abstract

This thesis is the result of a survey conducted concerning the settlement of Chico Mendes III, located in São Lourenço da Mata, North Zona da Mata of Pernambuco. An ongoing process of restructuring the production as well as the emergence of new actors and social relations is notable, where the diversification of crops such as cassava, beans, corn, vegetables, fruit trees vegetation, native atlantic forest and exotic plants can be seen. This process of productive practice differs from the ones seen in some settlements in Zona da Mata of Pernambuco, where they have dedicated themselves to the production of sugarcanes and white crops. The region of Zona da Mata has historically been taken by the strong production of sugarcane and the industrial processing of sugar and alcohol. In the 1990s, the sugar and ethanol activity in the region suffered a crisis that had its origins in both the international market situation, and trade liberalization from the neoliberal policies adopted by the Federal Government. As a result, the crisis caused unemployment among the sugarcane workers and failure for sugarcane suppliers, especially small producers. The sugar and alcohol factory requested immediate action to save the activity in the region. As for the trade unions and social movements, they demanded actions in order to ameliorate the poverty of rural workers and farmers, as well as the land reform. Since the struggle for land, the landless workers movement (or MST), the trade union movement from Pernambuco (STRs), the federação dos trabalhadores na agricultura do Estado de Pernambuco (or FETAPE) and other social movements have sought to pressure the Federal and State governments to expropriate unproductive areas. The mill São João belonging to the Tiúma factory in São Lourenço da Mata, is a picture of this crisis. After the closing of activities performed by the factory Grupo Empresarial Votorantim in the 1980s, the mill is dedicated to providing the canes to factories in the region. In the year 1990 as there were no more cane production, the MST began a struggle process for land with families organization, occupation and demand of area for purposes of land reform. Families that camped and were then settled experienced social and productive changes, which can be characterized as social conversion, thus this is a case of displacement in social space. That is, sugarcane workers or even former residents of mills, become involved in land reform, and experience a productive conversion once they accept to deploy in lots, a work and social relationship proposal, qualified by technicians and academics from the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco as Projeto de transição agroecológica (or Transition agroecological project). Therefore, the way of organizing the production and community is modified by inserting new crops in its area and interacting with new social actors.