Conceptual Rapprochement and the Analysis of the Historical, Normative and Jurisprudential Treatment of the Rural Workers, as Regards the Need for Special Protection

This article aims to present an approach to the issue of farm or rural zone workers, including a labour law study of agrarian legal decisions, so as to demonstrate their importance in respect to social, economic and cultural rights in Colombia. The study will serve to illustrate through the history, the applicable law and the jurisprudence, the different ways in which farmers have been treated from the time of the origin until the arrival of modern systems of industrialization. It calls into question the effectiveness of existing laws and the role of the courts, in spite of globalization, to maintain the minimum rights and guarantees of farm workers who are considered to be a vulnerable population. In conclusion, this study seeks to illustrate the current role of the Labor law and the National Health Service in the area of demonstrating of the existence or absence of mechanisms to protect workers in rural areas and the need to create some mechanisms that involve social justice given its prime importance in the Constitution of 1991.

Clinical, cytogenetic and toxicological studies in rural workers exposed to pesticides in Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil

Pesticidas podem causar mutações gênicas e aberrações cromossômicas em indivíduos expostos. Investigamos 24 trabalhadores expostos a pesticidas, nos quais foram executados exames clínicos e testes citogenéticos e toxicológicos. Dez indivíduos não expostos foram usados como controles. Dosagem toxicológica de cobre, zinco e manganês (metais encontrados em alguns pesticidas), dosagem de enzimas hepáticas (GOT, GPT, AP) e atividade de acetilcolinesterase foram executadas em 16 trabalhadores e oito controles. Nos trabalhadores expostos, os sintomas clínicos mais pertinentes foram digestão pobre, com sensação de plenitude após alimentação, olhos irritados, enxaqueca e fasciculações. O grupo exposto mostrou dosagem de manganês e atividade de acetilcolinesterase significativamente mais baixas, e nível significativamente mais alto de fosfatase alcalina. Estudos citogenéticos mostraram freqüências de aberrações cromossômicas significativamente mais altas no grupo exposto quando comparado ao grupo de controle. Embora usassem vestuário protetor contra névoa de pesticidas, o qual incluía calças de borracha, botas, luvas, máscara e chapéu, os resultados clínicos revelaram que os trabalhadores foram contaminados. Concluímos que estudos citogenéticos, toxicológicos, juntamente com exames clínicos, são importantes no controle da saúde do trabalhador, mesmo em condições de proteção.

Emissions generated by sugarcane burning promote genotoxicity in rural workers: a case study in Barretos, Brazil

Abstract Background To determine the possible genotoxic effect of exposure to the smoke generated by biomass burning on workers involved in manual sugar cane harvesting. Methods The frequency of micronuclei in exfoliated buccal cells and peripheral blood lymphocytes was determined in sugarcane workers in the Barretos region of Brazil, during the harvest season and compared to a control population, comprised of administrative employees of Barretos Cancer Hospital. Results The frequency of micronuclei was higher in the sugar cane workers. The mean frequency in blood lymphocytes (micronuclei/1000 cells) in the test group was 8.22 versus 1.27 in the control group. The same effect was observed when exfoliated buccal cells were considered (22.75 and 9.70 micronuclei/1000 cells for sugar cane workers and controls, respectively). Conclusion Exposure to emissions produced by the burning of sugar cane during harvesting induces genomic instability in workers, indicating the necessity of adopting more advanced techniques of harvesting sugar cane to preserve human health.

Analysis of symptoms of rural workers exposed to pesticides

This cross-sectional study was conducted in southern Minas Gerais, in two counties: São Gonçalo do Sapucaí and Silvianópolis. Presented as objective to verify the important variables associated with the occurrence of symptoms of subacute intoxication related to pesticides exposure. A questionnaire was dedicated to a sample of 412 workers. An analysis of non-conditional logistic regression was applied gradually. The likelihood ratio method was used to define the significant variables in the final model. Of the analysed population, 59.2% reported symptoms typical of subacute intoxication. Of the respondents, 91.5% reported knowing the deleterious effects associated with exposure to pesticides. The adjusted model was found with the significant variables: being male that presented Prevalence Odds Ratio (POR) adjusted . PORof 0.54 (95% CI 0.36 to 0.81), already hospitalized for poisoning with pesticides, POR of 3.26 (95% CI 1.08 to 9.82), living in the rural area of residence., POR of 2.17 (95% CI 1.20 to 3.93) and type of employment relationship or temporary employment, POR of 2.32 (95% CI 1.08 to 4.95).

Impact of floriculture development enhances livelihood of India’s rural women

India’s rural women are involved in various types of work and contribute considerably to the economy. However much of their work is not systematically accounted in the official statistics. India’s governmental and non-governmental data collection agencies admit that there is an under-estimation of tribal women’s contribution as rural workers. This study describes in detail a research project that focuses on the indicators for socioeconomic development in the least developed rural villages by examining the impact of floriculture on the lives of impoverished tribal women who inhabit the harsh drylands of western India.

Organização de produtores rurais para a gestão da cadeia produtiva da mandioca no nordeste paraense: um estudo de caso na Associação de Desenvolvimento Comunitário e Rural Bom Jesus

A mandioca (Manihot esculenta Crantz) é uma planta cultivada predominantemente para a subsistência dos trabalhadores rurais sendo uma das principais fontes de carboidratos disponíveis aos estratos sociais de baixa renda e tem importante participação na geração de emprego e renda. O Estado do Pará destaca-se pelo volume de produção de mandioca, mas o cultivo ainda está voltado essencialmente para a subsistência sendo pouco explorado como matéria prima em derivados industriais e insumo para enfrentar problemas globais como a fome, a degradação ambiental e a produção de energia, gerando emprego e renda para comunidades locais e rurais. Este estudo tem como objetivo avaliar como está se desenvolvendo a organização de produtores rurais de mandioca da Associação de Desenvolvimento Comunitário e Rural Bom Jesus, através do modelo de gestão de cadeia produtiva e compreender em que medida se justifica economicamente o cultivo de mandioca. A pesquisa é de natureza exploratória e descritiva e por meio do questionário e entrevista aplicado a 17 produtores rurais juntamente com a fundamentação teórica sobre o entendimento contemporâneo de cadeia produtiva foram percebidos evidências que justificam economicamente, em parte, o cultivo da mandioca. A geração de postos de trabalhos para as mulheres, a utilização de resíduos como incremento no arranjo produtivo, a apoio da extensão e do crédito rural, e as vantagens advindas da organização dos produtores rurais proporcionando renda e produção constantes no campo, foram os fatores considerados. Porém, a necessidade de inovações tecnológicas, parcerias com os setores industriais, arranjos produtivos mais rentáveis, mecanização do plantio e da colheita, os problemas ambientais (resíduos tóxicos e desmatamento) e de acesso à pesquisa, o nível de escolaridade, e a cooperação entre os agricultores, são desafios reais a serem enfrentados e o fator decisivo é o apoio governamental. Este estudo demonstra a realidade de uma sociedade quase sempre marginalizada e esquecida pelas políticas públicas. Além da variável econômica, a avaliação das culturas produtivas deve passar pelos filtros de análise social e ambiental, pois assim, nos permite com maior exatidão compreender os problemas reais da nossa sociedade, em especial da vida na Amazônia.

Old-age benefits and retirement decisions of rural elderly in Brazil

I estimate the impact of social security benefits on retirement decisions of rural workers by studying changes in the roles governing social security in Brazil. I focus on a 1991 reform, which brought a reduction in the minimum eligibility age for males and females, a doubling of benefit values and the extension of benefits to non-heads of households. Because beneficiaries are not subject to means or retirement tests, I estimate apure income effect. I find that a reduction in the minimum eligibility age for old-age benefits was an important determinant in the reduction in labor supply of elderly rural workers in Brazil. Finally, I find that benefit take-up rates are larger among the better educated, but least-schooled workers show the largest labor supply responses to the reform.

Podem os programas sociais e de transferência de renda influenciar a oferta de trabalho em atividades não agrícolas? uma análise para as famílias em condição de pobreza no meio rural do nordeste

This study aims to analyze the main effect of social programs and cash transfers on the labor supply of non-farm family members in poverty in rural areas of the Northeast. Among the specific objectives, we sought to investigate the effects of these programs and individual characteristics on the decision of participation and allocation of working hours of parents and children in non-agricultural activities. It was assumed, as a theoretical basis, the model of neoclassical labor supply as well as the principle that the decision of allocation of working hours, non-agricultural, is subject to the initial choice of the worker devote or not the non-agricultural employment . The hypothesis assumes that access to social programs and income transfer contributes to the dismay of rural workers, in poverty, in its decision to participate and offer hours of work in non-agricultural activities. To achieve this objective, we applied the models of Heckman (1979) and Double Hurdle, of Cragg (1971), consisting of associating the decision to participate in the labor market with the decision on the amount of hours allocated. The database used was the National Survey by Household Sampling (PNAD) of 2006. The results of the heads of households showed that transfers of income, although they may have some effect on labor supply rural nonfarm, the magnitude has to say that there may be some dependence on benefits. The estimates for the joint children of 10 to 15 years showed that the programs have negatively influenced participation in suggesting an increase in school participation, although for the allocation of working hours the results were not significant on the incidence of child labor

As ações político-pedagógicas do Serviço de Assistência Rural-SAR

This program resumes the history of the political-pedagogic actions on the Serviço de Assistência Rural SAR, of Natal archdiocese, and analyses the contributions of this actions on the process of rural workers organization in the social movements on the countryside. The educative actions of the RAS are happening in a permanent tension between the pedagogic project of a church in change and, a pedagogy of the groups, communities and social movements, that is centered in the cultural action, in the culture lived from its condition of citizens. This research reveals that this entity fulfilled a strategic attribution for the Natal s church on the formation of the community leaderships, at a first moment and leaderships for social movements. Before the military dictatorship, the work methodology of this entity had as priority, begin from the reality leaved by the rural workers in the expectation that these became to qualify themselves for a more citizen participation in the call development. During the military regime, the entity goes measuring theirs activities in the new context, until the moment that redefines the work line. Goes then defining regions and thematic of operation supporting the fights for land, salary campaigns, women agricultural workers organizations. The pedagogy of work has as one of its supporters the Paulo Freire s pedagogy, privileging the dialog as a source of production of knowledge from the reality leaved in a permanent transformation. The actions of this entity, with the groups and social movements, produces the necessary knowledge for the organization of the rural workers while individual and social subjects of a changing world. The process of action-reflection of the activities intended, by a creative form, a permanent production of strategies of fight of the workers. Research ever, not to make accommodate itself to the new knowledge acquired in the action-reflection it is part of the pedagogical idea of this Institution. One searched in this process of formation of the man and the woman to question the reality, to create actionreflection-action spaces on the fights for a possible transition of an ingenuous conscience for a critical conscience, in view of the transformation of the structures that oppresses them

Agricultura familiar: uma perspectiva da qualidade de vida do produtor rural orgânico da Paraíba

Knowledge of quality of life is a very complex and rich in cultural and subjective dimensions, understood in a broad sense and multivariate theme. Considering the rural areas from agriculture, it is observed that the production standard defines significant changes in the environmental context and the quality of life of rural workers. To explain the relationship between quality of life and Family Organic Agriculture, we sought to analyze the quality of life of the organic family farmer, after change in agricultural management. The research, based on a procedure exploratory study supported the articulation theoretically constructed, showed their relevance and allowed to delimit with greater security, the central question of work. The WHOQOL - 100 treated the instrument of research on quality of life that directed the field study with organic farmers from the town of Lagoa Seca / PB. Farmers and family members are from rural regions Almeida, Alvinho, Lagoa de Barro, Lagoa Gravatá, Oiti and Pau Ferro. The average time is 39 years farming and organic family farm is 16 years. In the analysis work was found that the process of production of vegetables and fruits is divided into 08 steps and with respect to workloads observations showed the presence of: physical loads, mechanical stresses, psychological burden and ergonomic factors. Most farmers reported symptoms were fatigue and cramps in the legs . Regarding the quality of life was noticed that the Psychological Domain contributed positively to the quality of life with mean and standard deviation (17.83 ± 12.78) and Domain Environment negatively contributing to the quality of life of this group (9.00 ± 6.82). We conclude that the practice of Family Organic Agriculture should be seen as an effective strategy in promoting quality of life and social values in between, since it presents environmental sustainability with regard to life and socio-cultural diversity of populations

A assistência técnica e extensão rural no assentamento modelo: proposição e realidade

This discourse analyzes the technical assistance concerning the rural settlement, which is seen as a demand of the social movement that claims for agrarian reformation, and is a goal of II PNRA, launched in may 2004, as a essential national public politics on process of building and consolidation of settlement and familiar agriculture, proposing the return of technical assistance service and rural extension in Brazil, which were started in the and of 1940 s. We analyze, in particular, the technical assistance program, social and environmental agrarian reformation, on model settlement, a program created, especially, to the rural settlements, coordinated by INCRA. Based on the documental analyze and local study, it is noticed that the experience of technical assistance implemented on model settlement shows the non continuation and fragility on technical assistance actions to rural workers. This context goes against the lately technical assistance governmental apparatus, which ensures to make settlements stronger, to support and to get important the familiar agriculture system. This way, technical assistance execution, trough the tertiary service, follows the neoliberal strategy and, the State, besides decreases the estimate to public politics, takes its actions control from the State to the shared control through partnership and transferring of responsibility, expressing its historic lack of attention to the worker class demands. In spite of workers resistance, expectative and hope, the lack of these services, as well as the other politics deficiencies, which are necessary to the settlements, are endangering its activities and threatening its survival in the settlement

Desafios e limites da prática política do sindicalismo rural: um estudo de caso em São Paulo do Potengi/RN

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior

Desafios e limites da prática do sindicalismo rural :um estudo de caso em São Paulo do Potengi/RN

The dissertation analyzes how the syndical practice of the workers rural Brazilians works your aspects of mobilization and claim in front of the execution of attendance services and providences, instituted in the marks of the military dictatorship, in the decade of 1970. We try to apprehend how these services have been interfering in the development of base works. Considering base works, as an enduring political formation of the rural workers, formation of new syndical leaderships and an effect participation of the workers in the political spaces. We trace the path of the rural workers' organization, starting from the previous period to the military stroke of 1964, while protagonists inserted in the national political conjuncture, organizing fight fronts and conquering rights. The research reveals that the rural workers' syndical movement, when it develops the activities coming from Funrural, established in 1971, they confront a dilemma that go through the political nature of your practice, which such activities can reduce the syndical rural workers, to a antity of assistance, and so interfere in the accomplishment of base works with the rural working class. The rural workers' syndical movement, inserted in the several conjunctures, since of your emersion in ante-64, when they have passed by growth and retrocession, they built along this period a structure to the national level, which makes possible the recognition of the rural workers' organization, as a class, and human being politicians of your own structure. It is in this context that the syndical practice is analyzed, emphasizing your limits and your possibilities while policy strenght nationally constituted

Prevalence and risk factors for human toxoplasmosis in a rural community

Toxoplasma gondii infection may lead to important pathological questions, especially in rural areas, where several sources of infection exist. Therefore, it is important to determine risk factors in order to establish adequate prophylactic measures. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors involved in human toxoplasmosis infection in a rural community, in Eldorado, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil. This community was composed of 185 farms - with 671 inhabitants - from which 20 were randomly chosen. In these farms, blood samples were collected from rural workers, who also answered a risk factor questionnaire. Serum samples were analyzed by means of direct agglutination test for the detection of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies. From 73 samples collected, 79.45% were positive. None of the studied variables was significantly associated with the prevalence of the infection. However, among the individuals who reported eyesight impairments, 94.4% had anti-T. gondii antibodies, compared with 74.0% who did not report eyesight changes (p = 0.0594). Moreover, most individuals in the study (68.20%) were older than 18 years and presented 84.44% positivity, compared with 66.67% of positive individuals younger than 18 years old. We were able to conclude that a high prevalence of antibodies did not imply significant associations with the risk factors studied.