Rural Development

A Case Study on the Araújo Family in the Araras IV Settlement in Araras/SP

Abstract

Handicraft is an activity recognized for its cultural and economic importance, and has contributed to the income of families from urban and rural centers. In rural areas, the activity has proved to be an important alternative for sustainable development, enabling economic growth and contributing to the strengthening of family farming. The present work has the objective of discussing the agricultural and artisanal activities developed by the Araújo family, living in the Araras IV Rural Settlement, in the municipality of Araras, state of São Paulo, Brazil; with the aim of highlighting the importance of these activities in the local, socioeconomic and environmental context. The methodology used to carry out the research was the snowball technique  qualitative approach. The family and its agricultural production processes were characterized. The family reported that they did not have the financial resources to adopt modern production techniques to obtain the best quality products demanded by the market, finding difficulties in commercialization of production. The Craft developed by the Araújo family is a tool that contributes to the establishment of the family in the countryside and the preservation of knowledge and traditions related to rural handicrafts in the community, resulting in possibility of reinventing themselves within their socioeconomic reality, reusing objects and utensils that for the society would no longer have value in use. The paper concludes that handicrafts are presented as a means to improve the economy of the Araujo family in Settlement IV in Araras / SP, making possible a socioeconomic improvement.