As múltiplas dimensões do desenvolvimento rural no Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

This paper reflects several relationships in the process of rural development in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, through a multidimensional approach which has the municipalities as the units of analysis. We consider the following dimensions: agrarian structure, productive structure, sociodemography and environment. We form groups of municipalities according to their similarities in each dimension, using the cluster analysis. Then, using the chi-square test and the contingency coefficient, we verify the relations among the classifications found in those dimensions. The results point out to the importance of a multidimensional approach, going further the economic analysis of the development processes.