Formação territorial do assentamento Terra Firme em Uberlândia, (MG) e os desafios socioeconômicos e de igualdade de gênero nas políticas públicas

Abstract

The regularization of agrarian reform settlements, albeit slowly, enables conflict resolution and the integration of families into public policies, without changing the power structure and land concentration in rural areas. The main objective of this study is to understand the forms of association for the production and sale of products, particularly among women in the Terra Firme settlement, established in 2023 in Uberlandia, Minas Gerais. This understanding required analyzing the socioeconomic and territorial diversity of these families, as well as understanding how they address the challenges of income generation, production, and sale of their products. This context also proves crucial for reflecting on family succession, since the permanence of new generations in rural areas is directly related to the living conditions offered in the settlements. The succession process is weakened by precarious infrastructure, difficulties in accessing public policies, and low appreciation for rural labor, especially that of women and youth, compromising the continuity of production and the sustainability of settlements over time. The research methodology involved a bibliographic analysis of several authors who address topics related to agrarian reform and gender issues in rural areas. Document verification provided a broader and deeper understanding of the families' daily lives. Fieldwork, through the application of two interview schedules, enabled a more in-depth analysis of the realities experienced in the settlement. The study revealed several challenges related to the production, sale, marketing, distribution, and delivery of the product to the end consumer. These challenges, compounded by the slowness of INCRA's settlement completion process, create uncertainty and insecurity for families. To overcome these challenges, these families, mostly women, seek employment alternatives elsewhere to support themselves with dignity, even with few qualifications. Only after the settlement is formalized will families have access to public policies to improve their production and survival conditions. Until the PA is completed, families seek to organize themselves through cooperatives to ensure economic and social autonomy, as well as to break patterns of inequality, especially gender inequality.