Agronegócio e urbanização: a relação rural-urbano em Cascavel/PR

Abstract

The space understood as a social instance (Santos, 1993) is the materiality of the human action and it has been modified throughout history. The emergence of new cities and their development process is related to several factors. It is possible to notice that the main one is the dynamism of their economy. The intense rural exodus in the 1970s enabled an intense urbanization process in Brazil. The municipality of Cascavel, located in Western Mesoregion in Paraná, is regional centre and underwent an intense population attraction process. It continued through 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. In the 1970s, the region had already emerged as growing industry and commerce, especially focused on agriculture. Nowadays the centrality of Cascavel in business is related to its agro-industrial and agro-services supply. The expansion of agribusiness supply chains rose companies upstream and downstream of agricultural production. It intensified commercial and industrial activities in urban area and attracted massive population. In addition, there was diversification of jobs in the city. Logging activity was the main source of income and employment during the colonization process from the 1940s to 1960s. It was also the main factor for retaining population. However, it changed and agribusiness assumed this role. In Brazil, there was a process of import substitution. It improved the national economy and formed a strong internal market for agricultural products. The agricultural development is related to public infrastructure investments and the implementation of law and policies, stimulating private financing. The creation of state-owned telephony enterprise (TELEPAR); energy (COPEL); transportation (DER) research and extension (EMATER and EMBRAPA), guaranteed minimum prices and the National Rural Credit System (SNCR) created conditions for applying results from "Green Revolution". These factors lead the country from agrarian exporter to an urban and industrial society. In Cascavel, It meant more production and productivity in agricultural sector, specialization in services focused on agribusiness, responding to local supply and developing agro industry sector including soybean, corn, chicken, pork and milk. The development of the productive forces was the main responsible for urbanization.