Evolution of Occupation and Income of People in the Rural Area of Paraná in the Period 2001-2009

Abstract

This article presents the main results of research on occupation and income of people in the new rurality of Paraná, Brazil, based on the National Household Sample Survey (PNAD), from 2001 to 2009. Results showed a steady reduction of the rural population as the growth of the rural population that conducts non-agricultural activities did not compensate the reduction of rural populations that conduct agricultural activities. During the study period, the rural population of Paraná achieved purchasing power stability and lower inequality in access to income, as well as a reduction in poverty and informal employment. A continuation of these trends will lead to the predominance of non-agricultural activities in the dynamics of occupation and income of the rural population of Paraná, resulting in the need to change rural development initiatives. The design of this adjustment, as suggested by analysis of the active rural populations of Paraná and São Paulo, should be based on local peculiarities. The reduction of rural populations engaged in agriculture requires a more detailed examination, especially due to the uneven impact of the modernization process determined by factors such as production scale, product type and agricultural work, among others. This understanding is particularly relevant for the state of Paraná, that, along with the modernization of agriculture, has been substantially outsourcing agricultural tasks and producing abundant harvests.