Desenvolvimento local na microrregião de Irecê - Bahia, município de Jussara : do feijão a ovinocaprinocultura

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2007

RESUMO

The Irecê region, which is located at the north-west part of the Bahia state, experienced an intense agricultural development over the 1960-1980 period based on a large-scale credit policy that was put forward by the state government. This policy led the Irecê region to become an important beans producing region. However, after the initial economic success the region faced a serious crisis from the early 1990s onwards. There was a fall in beans prices, reduction in the area of cultivated fields and a consequent reduction in the over-all production levels. In order to face these problems, based on the social capital they shared, a group of agricultural laborers and technicians of the Jussara municipality created and association (Accojus) and a cooperative (Coperj) to develop a local sheep and goat raising and processing industry. Sheep and goat raising is an endogenous activity to the Jussara municipality that had been lost relative importance during the period in which the state government encouraged the beans crops. This study examines the role of social capital and partnerships as to local development in the municipality of Jussara based on the sheep and goat raising and processing industry. Methods and the study conceptual approach involved a literature review regarding the following concepts: notions of place and local, local development, social capital and participation. Data collection was conducted through a photographic survey and examination of available statistic data and of maps as well as through a semi-structured interview. A qualitative analysis was adopted in which emphasis was placed on those aspects that were relevant to the examination of the research questions that were developed through the study. Results indicate that the sheep and goat raising and processing industry have been a good socio-economic alternative as a strategy to face the beans crisis in the Jussara municipality. Besides, the study collected evidence that the historic experience shared by local agricultural laborers regarding sheep and goat raising, together with the difficulties and needs that these laborers shared was an important element in the success of the Accojus/Coperj partnership, leading to their obtaining significant changes to the socio-economic situation of the workers involves, as well as for the socio-economy of the municipality of Jussara at large.

ASSUNTO(S)

social capital partnerships local development desenvolvimento local sheep and goat raising and processing parcerias ovinocaprinocultura capital social outros

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