A migração piauiense e as atividades sucroalcooleiras em Morro Agudo (SP)

Abstract

Sugarcane brought development to many municipalities in São Paulo state, becoming, over the years, an outstanding characteristic of that state. The municipality of Morro Agudo (SP), located in Ribeirão Preto‟s Mesorregion, has a population of 29.127 inhabitants, according to Brazilian Demographic Census of 2010. From these, 95,85% live in the urban area and 4,15% in the rural one. Due to not having enough workforce in the sugarcane harvest and, due to being one of the biggest sugarcane producers of the state, it was necessary an extent amount of manpower. Therefore, every year, hundreds of migrants coming from Piauí state, and other Northeastern states, began migrating to Morro Agudo at harvest. Some people stayed permanently, others live in the municipality only during the harvest. This paper aimed studying the migration from Piauí state to Morro Agudo (SP). Therefore we sought to understand de population dynamics in the municipality, as well as its organization, its main economic activities and the migration as an influence factor in the local economy and local habits, as sugarcane‟s importance to Morro Agudo‟s economy. The migrants‟ concentration Morro Agudo decreases each year, due to the mechanization of the harvests, the migrants have been seeking new locations, where the sugarcane crops are recent and the hand workforce is still necessary. However, many migrants intend to continue in Morro Agudo. The migration to Morro Agudo is important and necessary; what is essential is to improve the rural workers living conditions so they can have a better life and give their families comfort and a better quality of life.