Transição da colheita manual que utiliza a queima da palha da cana-de-açúcar para a colheita mecanizada: análise temporal das safras entre 2009/2010 e 2023/2024 no estado da Paraíba.

Abstract

Sugarcane agriculture has been an important and consolidated economic activity in Brazil since colonial times, characterized by intensive labor use and the traditional practice of burning sugarcane straw. This study explores the productive and socio-environmental impacts of the transition from manual to mechanized harvesting in the state of Paraíba, based on data from the National Supply Company (CONAB). To this end, sugarcane harvests from 2009/2010 to 2023/2024 in the state were analyzed, considering aspects such as production, productivity, harvested area, and type of harvest, as well as estimates of greenhouse gas emissions associated with pre-harvest burning. The results indicate that mechanization, by gradually eliminating burning practices, contributed to an 18% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions over the analyzed period, particularly methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), which are converted into carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-equivalent) for comparative purposes. However, this transition brings social and economic challenges, such as negative impacts on labor, highlighting the need for governments to develop policies to promote professional training and ensure a fair transition. The study concludes that, in addition to reducing environmental impacts, mechanization can also improve productive efficiency, provided it is accompanied by strategies for social inclusion and technological adaptation.