Forms of agricultural production in Rio Grande do Sul: proposition of characterization's multiple criteria and application at rice farms

Abstract

Rural latinoamerican studies are often structured around categories such as the “peasant” exploitations, the “family exploitations", the “capitalist” exploitations or the “fazendas”, etc. Our aim does not pretend to nourish the debate on inequalities or on development models which often underlies these categories but wishes to bring a glance on exploitation's diversity. A feed-back on the bibliography leads to identify elements which make it possible to qualify them from the point of view of the means that they mobilize, of the organization of work or of the general objectives which are endeavoured in it. We propose common criterias that could be called up to establish typologies of exploitations. The typology obtained from an application with rice exploitations of Rio Grande do Sul brings a reflection on the interactions that exist between the family and the agricultural activity, showing that large surfaces or the profit target does not eliminate however a strong family influence.