Abstract
South coastal Santa Catarina stands out as the largest tobacco producing area of the state, being formed by small family farmers integrated to large tobacco processors. The municipality of Sombrio, SC, located on the south coast, is distinguished by the agricultural production on small farms, has barn-cured tobacco as the main agricultural activity and source of income of the area. In this municipal district, according to data of the Association of Tobacco Farms of Brazil AFUBRA, from 1994 to 2003, there was a 140% increase in the area planted to tobacco, making disappear crops such as cassava, corn and beans, typical of this area and main source of income of the local agriculture, before the arrival of tobacco. Within this reality, the objective of this work was to analyze the social and economical dependence of the tobacco farms of the area of Sombrio, SC and the viability of an agroecological transition, to pasture-based production of milk. We interviewed 42 tobacco farms and analyzed the social, economical and environmental conditions of the production of tobacco. The coasts of production of tobacco and of the milk were analyzed in the form of case studies. The economic data and the results of the interviews showed long hours and low wages in the production of tobacco, besides presenting negative implications due to the inhuman conditions of work and health risks that involve children, youths and seniors. Housing conditions, usually in terrible state of conservation, contrasts with the facilities for processing tobacco, usually of masonry and in much larger proportions than his/her own house. High number of deaths are caused by intoxications from use of pesticides in farming; and there is a high environmental cost due to the excess of fertilizers and chemical residues. Food crops are no longer produced, being substituted by a non-edible cash crop. The high cost of production of tobacco flattens the income that tobacco growers earn, reducing the remuneration for work below what statistics show. In this context, the research demonstrated that the production of milk based on pasture, can substitute the production of tobacco, allowing to the farmer and his/her family to receive the deserved income from agricultural activity, with better conditions of life and of work, besides promoting animal well-being, and a nom-aggressive relationship with nature.
