An Impasse in the Transformation of Sugar Cane Plantations in Northeast Brazil?

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Engenho and Assentamento: An Impasse in the
Transformation of Sugar Cane Plantations in
Northeast Brazil?
Carla Inguaggiato
PhD in Local Development and Global Dynamics, University of Trento
Researcher at Training Centre for International Cooperation, Trento, Italy
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Rural Sociological Society August, 1 2014

2. Objectives of the paper
Present the possible risks of impasses of
Brazilian agrarian reform
Focus on villages’ social networks to understand
if there are the conditions for social
transformation
Present a comparative analysis of three agrarian
reform settlements’ case studies
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3. Brazilian agrarian reform: risks of an impasse
Introduction on Brazilian agrarian reform: when and how?
- Several waves since Sixties, focus on 1990’s and early
2000’s: strong role of social movements
Possible causes of the risks of reproduction of previous
dependency patterns:
• Land is still property of the state
• Most settlers are in debt with the state
• Quality of housing is one crucial benefit for settlers
Risk is substitution of land lords’ patronage bonds with state
patronage bonds
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4. Why focus on social networks to study change
Northeast Brazil: area of sugar cane
plantations since 1600s
Before agrarian reform villages were
factory towns of sugar cane plantations
(“engenhos”):
very hierarchical organization of labor
After agrarian settlements
(“assentamentos”): possibility of
transformation of labor organization in
a more polycentric one
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5. Why focus on networks to study change (2)
Agrarian reform and creation of a coop aimed at supporting
family farming
BUT
Very low level of state investment and training
Very few households had previous experience in family
farming
THEREFORE
Main opportunity of agrarian reform enable interaction
between households with different backgrounds
If only similar households are in contact  no change
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6. The main idea
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S. Segregation P. Partial overlap O. Complete overlap
Different scenarios of overlap between multiple social
networks define adaptiveness to change of communities
Scenario S and O is the least adaptive
Scenario P is the most adaptive because it allows for the
interaction between different people
Adapted from S. Parkinson (2013, p. 59)

7. Main research question & Hypothesis
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Main question: which “assentamento” is
more similar to scenario P?
Hypothesis:
Villages’ formation history

Villages’ social networks
Villages selection criteria:
• Created by different organizations (a
private ass., MST, CPT)
• High percentage of households’
members of coop

8. Data
Primary data
3 whole undirected networks: kinship, family
farming employment, frequent meetings
177 households (102, 38, 37)
Households’ attributes
One point in time observation

9. 1.1 Frequent contact networks
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Village A
Village B
Village C
!! Village!A! Village!B! Village!C!
Density! 0.034! 0.114! 0.101!
Isolates!! 2%! 5%! 0%!
Average!degree! 3.39! 4.21! 3.6!
!

10. 1.2 Kinship networks
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Village A
Village B
Village C
Village A Village B Village C
Density 0.047 0.024 0.045
Isolates 12% 50% 19%
Average degree 4.71 1.36 1.62

11. 1.3 Employment in family farming networks
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Village A
Village B
Village C
Village A Village B Village C
Isolates 33% 50% 54%
Density 0.014 0.024 0.021
Average degree 1.41 0.89 0.76

12. Network overlap of kinship & family farming
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Village A Village C
Village B

13. Comparative analysis of three agrarian
reform settlements’ case studies
• Family farming favors cross-cutting ties in the 3 villages:
it connects households that would be connected
• Villages differ in social networks’ structural
configurations
• Village A most similar to scenario P as more social
configurations are needed to explain network formation
• Vulnerability of villages because of important role of
municipal politics to support family farming
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14. Thank you for your attention!
carla_inguaggiato@live.com
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15. Village A contact network colored by party
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16. Village B contact network colored by party
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