Decision making process towards livelihoods diversification

an alternative for family farmers in the micro-region of Santa Cruz do Sul/RS

Abstract

The counties of the Geographic Micro-region of Santa Cruz do Sul, located in the central region of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, are widely known for the predominance of tobacco production. The region is composed by 16 counties, with some demographic and geographic similarities and differences, related for producing tobacco as being the main economic endeavor. The main county is Santa Cruz do Sul, where is installed the main tobacco processing industry complex, with the major companies and brands of the world. The Micro-region also suffers with the tobacco dependency, which has been reason for research for decades. The dependency on the monoculture of tobacco has developed by local leaders, technicians and the   Government, a variety of studies trying to identify alternatives to the family´s income in rural areas. The production diversification is considered an alternative able to provide the means for elevate the family´s income and better their life quality. This work analyzed the main characteristics of farmer families and sought after the understanding of determinant factors in production diversification, more specifically the motives for taking the decision towards the diversification and how they overcame the barriers reaching success in the endeavor. The subjects of the research were defined through a technique known as the “Snowball Sampling” and interviewed by means of semi-structured scripting. Surveyed family farmers were tobacco producers although considered diversified for not depending on a single means of income. For the interviewed families the diversification promotes freedom of choice as well as the means for better use of regional human and natural resources, generating sustainable development to the region plus granting overall better life quality for the families.

Keywords: Family Farming. Decision Making Process. Sustainable Livelihoods. Production Diversification. Regional Development.