Productive characteristics of a rural settlement project in the northeast semiarid region (Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil)

Abstract

The rural settlements are agricultural production units created in order to reordering the use of land for the benefit of rural landless or with little land. However, it should be noted if them adequately fulfill its function after the first few years of installation. The objective of this study was to characterize aspects of the agricultural production of the Maisa Settlement Project, located in the Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil. Interviews with community leaders from the ten rural villages that make up the settlement were made in August 2013. It was noted that land distribution did not occur equally between rural villages and dwellers; that the perception of community leaders is, in general, less than willing in government document, established by the agency responsible for agricultural development in Brazil (INCRA). It was identified that 1.7% of the area for cultivation is currently being used; and that crops planted are beans, melon, watermelon, corn, barbados cherry, papaya, pumpkin and grass. It was observed that a larger area is planted in the communal area (125 ha) than in cultivated in the Individual Lots (93.4 ha). However, the agricultural production in these two compartments shows a negative correlation, 4,861 and 6,070 tons, respectively. In 90% of rural villages the main source of income is wage labor on private farms. This study revealed that the Maisa Settlement is not fulfilling its social function, and that the productive potential is mainly related to the availability of financial resources to capture groundwater for irrigation.