Training, succession and migration: histories of two generations of farmers in the Upper Jequitinhonha River Area, Minas Gerais

Abstract

Family farming is a key sector for supplying food, generating employment and maintaining traditional cultures in the Brazilian countryside. According to several authors, the reproduction of family farming is threatened by the emigration of young people, due to current changes in urban and rural settings. This paper investigates this situation in two municipalities in the upper Jequitinhonha Valley – a region strongly characterized by the presence of family farming – through an analysis of the history of two generations of farmers. The results indicate changes in inheritance patterns, educational levels and the traditional dynamics of the empowerment of youth, all of which in turn influence the life histories and the integration of migrants into the labor market. The article concludes that, in comparison with previous generations, fewer young people stay in the countryside, although this does not put the reproduction of family units in risk, because many people do stay in rural areas and take over properties at more advanced ages and higher educational levels than did previous generations.