Entre picadas e trilhas: trajetórias de famílias em área de assentamento em Manaus, AM

Abstract

MARTINS, A. C. F. Between trails and paths: trajectories of families in settlement area in Manaus, AM. Thesis (Doctorate). Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters. University of Sao Paulo. Ribeirao Preto, 2010. This research aimed to investigate the trajectory of the families of several farmers in search for land held by them and their struggle to survive and remain in settlement areas in ManausAM. At the Amazonas state, there are approximately 42.346 families residing in 129 Settlement Projects under the responsibility of INCRA, assisted by various social programs offered by that state inadequately. The research aimed to develop a specific characterization of six families living in the area mentioned above, and also investigate the social, economic and cultural environments in which they live. The survey also sought to examine the perceptions of those families on public policies in order to contribute to the resizing of various forms of acts of public authorities at the municipal, state and federal, revealing the difficulties faced by them to provide their livelihoods through the family farm. To achieve the objectives proposed, it was adopted a qualitative approach, the method of case-study through research and documentary analysis, participant observation and semi-structured interviews. The choice of the six families who participated in the study were the following: a) reside in the area since the implementation of the settlement, b) participate in programs or projects offered by the government; c) participate in local farmers' associations in pursuit of improved conditions stay in the area. The results indicate the migration of families resulting from different Brazilian states and small cities of Amazonas soughing for stable housing and subsistence, traumatized by the impact of multiple losses and suffering. The living conditions in the settlement are hampered because of lack of access to resources due to the paperwork required to obtain funding for family farming, and scarce technical monitoring of development agencies and production flow. The lack of high schools and insufficient medical and dental services makes families frequently seek such public services in the town, through a precarious transportation system. Improvements in access to settlement and expansion of services are largely obtained by the families of farmers, through participation in organized movements for them, which shows a gradual tendency of households to demand their rights against the government in several government instances. Key-words: Rural worker families, public policies, rural settlement.