Estudo de quatro municípios da serra do sudeste do Rio Grande do Sul e possíveis alternativas para o seu desenvolvimento

Abstract

Rio Grande do Sul is considered one of the most developed Brazilian states, presenting social economical levels superior to the rest of Brazil. Althoug it is in a better position, it is not a homogeneous state with the North and Northeast being more developed. The South presents a less dynamic economy with alarming poverty level. In the South area there are some differentiated microregions. One of them is the "Serra do Sudeste" where the poverty levels are more severe than the poor South region itself This study bases on the data of four municipalities in this region (Santana da Boa Vista, Caçapava do Sul, Lavras do Sul and Pinheiro Machado). Based on an initiative in progress done by EMATER/RS there, this work tries to discuss the current situation, its main problems, its solutions and alternatives within the institutional project "Área Piloto" (Pilot Área) which provides subsidy to this research. Methodologically, the actuation of the developmental agencies ignore the data on the land occupation and the formation of the "gaúcho" (a native of the state of Rio Grande do Sul) which has reflected in action proposals only at the local level and very little transformation capacity. Based on this low effectivity of the developmental proposals, this work tries understand the past of the region and its municipalities. Its past was the determinant of the land occupation and formation of the inhabitants. These elements historically established, engendered by economical and cultural characteristics have contributed to mantain this situation of stgnation and impoverishment. This study goes into details of this situation presenting the main social economic indicators of the region by identifying the important participation of the agriculture on the regional economy. It also discusses the agriculture issues basing on these indicators, the positioning of the producers and predominam proposals and theories of development. The results suggest that the issues of cultural formation resultam from the war history and struggle for survival, very differenciated from the rest of the country in that region, is an encumbrance to the associative initiatives and to the diversification of the activities of agriculture exploration included in the techninal proposals. Also as a result, the analytical situation of identification of the types of rural producers in the municipalities stands out. This situation, based on recent the orical proposals, contributes to a scientific reflection of the rural reality and it also points to the necessity of a differentiation of the rural extension work attending the various rural social participants. At last, as a practical contribution from this dissertation, possible altematives are discussed and suggested based on the analysis of that regional reality, in light of developmental concepts and under the observation of the participants involved and the author.