Formulation and social impact of Midwestern Brazil Monthly Bulletin of Sugarcane Ethanol Workers Occupation

Abstract

The Midwestern Brazil Monthly Bulletin of Sugarcane Ethanol Workers Occupation is edited since 2008. It refers to an acknowledged university extension project by São Paulo State University (UNESP). A systematic survey is done to know the number of individuals involved in occupations at sugarcane ethanol companies in states from Southern, Southeastern, and Midwestern regions, based on the Brazilian Department of Labor records of formal occupation. After analysis, data are reported by electronic way in an information bulletin to nearly 400 individuals and institutions, such as companies, unions, researchers, social organizations, etc. The first aim is to measure more precisely an important social event, i.e. the effects of technological changes in sugarcane crop on sugarcane workers occupation in Midwestern Brazil. Second, it is intended to keep the social agents promptly informed, giving support to the adoption of more accurate public and private actions to face this event, such as outplacement and retraining. Fifty-one bulletins were edited until April 2014, and they are available at http://www.fcav.unesp.br/baccarin. A change was observed in the sugarcane ethanol occupation from 2007 to 2014, with loss of involvement in occupation with lower requirements of professional qualification. The mechanization of sugarcane plantation and harvest, accelerated in the last years, has caused an overwhelming number of sugarcane workers to be dismissed. The findings associated with the Bulletin have attracted researchers and the media, who frequently consult its editors, resulting into several news articles, even in nationwide media. The elaboration of this bulletin is tightly related to research development, and two researches were supported by funding organizations since 2010. Four articles were published in national journals since 2009 about this theme, along with four chapters of book, ten articles, one expanded abstract, and seven abstracts in academic meetings, including one university extension event. Also, a book about sugarcane ethanol workers occupation was organized. Furthermore, we might point out this contribution to formation of undergraduate students, who are trained for handling statistics on Brazil formal occupation and who record academic productions, observed in the development of four undergraduate research projects with scholarship, four undergraduate final reports, and seven works in undergraduate research academic events.