Evidências das novas ruralidades no Alto Uruguai: um estudo de caso sobre os neorrurais em Erechim/RS

Abstract

From the 1990s onwards, the rural space underwent a series of modifications, which provided a multifunctional character and enabled the recognition of new forms of development in these places. Therefore, this dissertation had the general objective of knowing the motivations that emerge among the neo-rurals in Erechim/RS, to have a reoccupation of the rural space in this municipality. Among the specific objectives, we looked for: a) analyze the studies produced on the subject of neo-rurals, in order to know their relationship with rural development; b) characterize the socioeconomic profile of neo-rural residents in rural areas of the Erechim/RS municipality; c) highlight the motivations of social actors for migration from urban centers to rural areas; and, d) identify the economic, social, environmental and self-consumption activities developed in rural areas by neo-rurals people. The methodological structure of this research is classified as exploratory and descriptive, and data collection was carried out through a case study, which used qualitative and quantitative techniques, to research 20 social actors identified as neo-rurals. The main results of this study demonstrated that, when entering the rural environment, these social actors promote changes, especially through the inclusion of new habits, by developing of new activities and consequently income generation, and valorization of the environment and local culture. Regarding the socioeconomic profile of the neo-rural people of Erechim/RS, it was founding that these social actors are mostly: men, aged between 31 and 40 years old, married, with an income of 2 to 4 minimum wages, who live in rural areas, with a higher level of education and whose profession is agriculture. Among the motivating conditions that lead to the migration of the neo-rural, are associated, firstly, with rest and leisure issues, secondly with the quest to increase the land productivity, thirdly with the desire to undertake and, to a lesser extent, with environmental issues. And, among the activities developed by the neo-rural, it was verify greater expressiveness for the food production for family consumption, for sale and the commodities production. In this context, the neo-rural are important agents of development and promote positive impacts in the rural spaces in which they operate.