Caracterização socioeconômica de unidades de produção: um estudo no núcleo colonial J.K., município de Mata de São João – BA

Abstract

This work aimed to characterize social economically the production units (UPs) of the Colonial J.K. Nucleus, located at the municcpality of Mata de São João - BA, by using a multidi mensional procedure. The theoretical framework of this research was based on the studies of ALENCAR & MOURA FILHO (4) , LOPEZ (13) , MOLINA FILHO (16), PEREZ (21) and SORJ & WILKINSON (27), who described the forms of organization of production and the way of the integration of production units with the urban-industrial sector in Brazil. The multidimensional method adopted here, allowed to distinguish 25 production units, through a set of analytical descriptive variables, into 11 social-economical categories. This procedure showed that units with áreas ranging from 10 to 25 ha, usually called small properties, may present high leveis of commercialization and specialization, and a differentiation regard ing to the type of labor force, exploration capital and gross value of production. The integration with the urban-industrial sector takes place through the acquisition of inputs, machineries and equipments, being supported by financial organizations and by the technical assistance agency. Considering the social-economical characterization of farmers an important tool for the elaboration of production sys tems, agricultural planning and technical assistance, different types of production units were identified, which showed that the producers have problems and ways of interaction differentiated within the Colonial J.K. Nucleus. The present study showed also, by an interpretative analysis, the producers' perception referring to the problems coped with by them during the development of their agricultural activities, and the different ways of existing mutual aid. In short, the muldidimensional procedure leads to a diagnosis of the production units which may be useful to the technical assistance and rural extension servicés. Through such classification, the extension service may establish strategies which can improve the performance of the production units in relation to the use of production factors as well as the combina tion of the explored products.