Rural masculinization: an approach based on the regionalization of agrarian systems in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Abstract

This study is aimed at analyzing the process of masculinization of the rural population in different agrarian systems of the State Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and seeks to interpret different circumstances and settings. For this purpose we used census data from the 1950 Demographic Census and the 2007 Population Count, both conducted by IBGE. The data were systematized and subjected to statistical analysis. Scores were calculated for sex ratios of total and rural populations and, in the 2007 Population Count, for sex ratios of four age groups. These indices were grouped by agrarian system (Campanha, Serra do Sudeste, Depressão Central, Litoral Norte, Litoral Sul, Colônias Velhas, Campos de Cima da Serra, Colônias Novas, and Planalto), by applying the Kruskal-Wallis Test. We also calculated the sex ratio of the population of Rio Grande do Sul in 1960, 1970, 1980, 1991, 2000 and 2010. It was found that the process of rural masculinization, which has been gradually growing in the state, shows different behaviors, depending on the region. In general, the cattle grazing regions show the highest levels of masculinity whereas the regions characterized by family farming and intensive production systems show the lowest levels. In 2007, the regions of Depressão Central and Planalto, where mechanized production of soybeans and rice are more common, took on an intermediate position between high levels of masculinity in the cattle-raising regions and low levels in colonies, where family farming is characteristic. The intensity of the process of rural masculinization may be related to characteristics of different agrarian systems, such as the socioeconomic importance of family farming, or even increased intensification of production systems.