Perfil da agricultura familiar no Estado do ceará e mesorregiões

Abstract

The objective of this work is to outline the profile of family production in the state of Ceará, based on data from the 2006 Agricultural Census. This is a descriptive work whose main variables are: land structure; characteristics of family producers in terms of age, sex, education and access to land; technical production base; composition of animal and vegetable production; and organization of the employment of labor. The theoretical basis is supported by the discussion about the permanence or not of family production in the context of the development of capitalism in the countryside. Although the organization of agriculture in the state of Ceará takes place within the context of the capitalist mode of production, census data show very clearly the persistence of small family production, and there is no disintegration and disappearance of family production at the beginning of the twenty-first century. This persistence does not occur marginally, considering the weight of family establishments in both the vegetal and animal production of Ceará as well as in the absorption of the labor force inserted in its primary sector. The results of the research also show that, despite the importance of this segment of the state primary sector, some problems still remain, it can be highlighted: a) the high index of concentration of land ownership did not eliminate the fragmentation of the property, as shown by the high number of establishments with less than 5 hectares; (b) there is an aging workforce, particularly as regards those responsible for family establishments; (c) the formal education level of family producers is very low; d) the technical basis of production is limited, as shown by the low incidence of more modern equipment and irrigation use in the context of family establishments; e) access to credit is restricted; (f) technical assistance is limited, with particular concern for the more widespread use of pesticides. These difficulties show the need for a more effective and efficient implementation of public policies aimed at this segment of the economy of Ceará. In this regard, attention is drawn to a more aggressive agrarian policy, accompanied by more systematic forms of support to the beneficiaries of this policy, be it in terms of technical assistance, credit, opening of marketing channels. There is also a need to structure the access to educational services available to the family workforce in a broader and more adequate way.