Sugarcane Expansion near to Agrarian Reform Settlements: a Case Study of Pontal, Brazil

The growth in the sugarcane sector leads to intense search for new agricultural land suitable for expansion. In the State of São Paulo, the Pontal do Paranapanema region is considered one of the last regions suitable for sugarcane expansion in large scale. However, the expansion of this crop may change the productive structures and the objectives of family agriculture in agrarian reform settlements of the region. Conflicts between the sugarcane growers and social movements are also possible. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of sugarcane production at Pontal. The study also identified suitable areas for sugarcane cultivation and how these areas are distributed in relation to the settlements. The socio-economic effects caused by the introduction of sugarcane were investigated by interviews with sugarcane-grower settlers. Geographical information systems (GIS) were used to identify the spatial distribution of suitable areas for agricultural expansion. The interviews showed that for 68 % of the settlers sugarcane was not improving family income. The potential area for sugarcane expansion was estimated in 609,207 ha, which represents 43 % of the total area of the region. When looking at the spatial distribution of this area in relation to the settlements, 70 % of the suitable areas for agricultural expansion were located within a short distance of 15 km from settlements. * Corresponding author: Email [email protected] Office Phone: +55 19 3417 2139 – Skype Phone:flamafre