William Oura Suzuki

This paper aims to verify the causes of the reduction in the labor employed in the field from the 80s. To achieve this goal, the following hypotheses were tested to justify the removal of field workers: Do cities offer better opportunities? Does technology dispense farm worker? Has agrarian reform avoided major migration? Methodology involved the occasional analysis of the modernization process of Brazilian agriculture, labor market (agricultural and nonagricultural), the technology used in the field emphasizing family farms, programs and ATER services performed for these producers and programs agrarian reform occurred so far. For this, data were presented on the evolution of urban and rural populations, the evolution of Pronaf over the years and the number of settlements made and families benefited from these projects from the 80s. Thus, this study revealed that cities offer several advantages such as higher wages and easier access to health and education, encouraging the exit of the rural population, especially young people. Moreover, the technology, although it contributed to rural development, dismissed the field workers, working simultaneously for and against the producers. Family farmers were the most affected because they represent almost 75% of the labor employed in this sector. This group received greater attention only from the 90s with the creation of Pronaf, still considered the main instrument of agricultural policy nowadays for this segment. Data showed a higher number of farmers served by the program, but the distribution of the funds invested in the country is still uneven, with higher concentration in the South. Northeast deserves greater attention because concentrates many agricultural establishments in Brazil, mostly poor farmers with low education level. Finally, it was found that agrarian reform, through settlements and the consequent generation of employment and income for landless families, prevented greater migration. But despite benefited from the program, there are families still struggling to produce food in the settlements, suggesting the following challenges to public policies: investment in rural education, enhancement of agricultural labor, better allocation of resources by Pronaf, digital inclusion in the countryside, improving existing settlements and continue implementing new projects for land distribution with ATER warranty.