DYNAMICS OF COTTON FARMING AGROINDUSTRIAL COMPLEX IN THE STATE OF BAHIA , BRAZIL.
ISBN 978-85-88783-11-9
Authors
1Matos Góes, L.; 2Oliveira Souza, S.; 3de Oliveira Fontes, E.; 4Perez Filho, A.
1UNIVERSIDADE ESTADUAL DE CAMPINAS (UNICAMP) Email: lilianemg@ige.unicamp.br
2UNIVERSIDADE ESTADUAL DE CAMPINAS (UNICAMP) Email: siriussouza@ige.unicamp.br
3UNIVERSIDADE ESTADUAL DE SANTA CRUZ (UESC) Email: ednice@uesc.br
4UNICAMP Email: archi@ige.unicamp.br
Abstract
This research aimed to understand the structure, the dynamic and functioning of the anthropic system from innovative inputs provided to the environment from the introduction of upland cotton in the State of Bahia, for the temporal cut that contemplates the years 1970 to 2010. The analysis method adopted is founded in the systemic approach, due to capacity to consent the understanding of the connections, the dynamic and changing character of spatial organization. The criteria adopted for the preparation of quantitative representations map - demonstration in the area - took into account the information provided by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), available at IBGE Automatic Recovery System (SIDRA), in this part of the agricultural census (1970 -2006) and municipal agricultural production (1990-2010). The management and the representation of acquired data occurred through the Geographic Information System ArcGIS 10.0, so the variable being represented it is the cotton cultivation and the parameter used was the amount of production of temporary crops - upland cotton (in tons) . The results have revealed the spatial and temporal dynamics of cotton farming and the current production specialization of the middle region of extreme western Bahia, in specific, the municipalities of agribusiness, namely: Barreiras, Correntina, Luís Eduardo Magalhães and Sao Desidério. In chronological terms, the middle region south-central of Bahia had high potential of the productive system since 1970, however, from the 80s the seasonal crop faced a sharp decline after the introduction of the pest called "bicudo", devastating the cotton plant. It was a historic moment of the absence of effective pesticides to combat of the pest. This interference hit directly the agricultural economy of southern center of Bahia , in other words, the middle region destined in 1990 for cotton planting approximately 143 177 hectares (ha), and in 2010 the planted area corresponded to 20 934 ha. Currently, the middle region of extreme western Bahia stands out in the state scenario, because it concentrates 96.5% of the production of upland cotton. It is necessary to to point out that cotton production in the period 1970-1996 did not change the agricultural and economic landscape of the extreme western Bahia, since the agricultural tradition was not cotton farming. Therefore, the specialization of agriculture began only as from 1996 with the introduction of technology, information and field science, allowing the middle region enter the state, regional, national and international scenario of commodity production , thus promoting the creation of new space organizations. The Productivity data corroborate this assertion, because in 1970 this middle region showed productivity was 0.19 and after the knowledge of the environmental physical capabilities allied to use of modern production technologies, management and soil conservation, pesticide use to prevent pests in seasonal crop and investment in scientific research in biotechnology the productivity was increased to 3.91. It is in this middle region the municipality of Sao Desidério largest producer of cotton is inserted. It is highlighted that the fibers of the cotton produced in the extreme western Bahia are recognized for their high standard of quality, the differential reflected in the commercial relations on an international scale established through exports of the product: simply threshed cotton, not carded or combed. In 2010, twenty one nations participated in the negotiations, especially South Korea, Japan and Indonesia for negotiating about 30,000 tons. Finally, it was found along the spatio-temporal clipping, the productive specialization of extreme western Bahia from the expansion of areas intended for planting of cotton, increased productivity and internationally competitiveness.