Beyond Dusty Land

Abstract: Due to miserable living conditions and an uneven distribution of land in the rural parts of Brazil there has been a widespread migration into the urban areas during the last 40 years. Greater parts of the population live in the cities and make their living within the informal sector lacking access to important services such as education and health care. In this study we argue for and discuss the need of governmental intervention in order to improve the conditions of the poor and we see personal freedom and development as important factors for improving economic growth. Various attempts to carry through a land reform have been made in Brazil, but mistakes are frequent and the uneven land distribution often persists. A well-implemented land reform should bring institutional reforms concerning credits, technical support, education and infrastructure. Reforming the rural economy is not only a question of handing out land – it is also a question of raising capabilities. The land reform has been a top priority of the new government of Lula da Silva who seized power in 2003. The aim of this study is to see how well implemented the ongoing land reform has been and what possibilities new settlers and former landless people have to become independent producers and citizens. This study focuses concretely on the aftermath of a distribution of land. What are the possibilities for the settled families to start cultivating their land, to make the production efficient and reach the market? What obstacles do they encounter? Do they have access to fundamental institutions and the capability to use them, in order to derive an income from their new property and become integrated in the modern part of the economy resulting in a higher living standard and more personal freedom?