Irrigated agriculture and the quality of farmers life in irrigated lands in the Ceará State, Brazil.

Abstract

This work aimed to evaluate the social-economical aspects in irrigated districts in the Curu-Pentecostes and Jaguaribe-Apodi districts, located in the Ceará state, Brazil, in order to test the contribution of the irrigated management system on the improvement of life quality of farmers. A questionnaire was elaborated objecting to guide the interviews with the farmers and to collect some relevant field information. The questionnaires were applied in 24 to 30 farmers that develop agricultural activities, being the selection of the interviewed randomizedly performed. It was evaluated the level of education and house living conditions of the farmers; the farmers´ participation in associative culture of the irrigated district; technical support; use of fertilizers, agricultural machinery and pesticide; the average yield, average annual gross income and the level of satisfaction of the farmer with the irrigated management. It was possible to note that there was improvement in the farmers´ life quality for both studied sites after the implantation of the irrigation management system. In the Curu-Pentecostes district it was more associated to the improvement of house living conditions than improvement of the agricultural activities developed in the district. On the other hand, in the Jaguaribe-Apodi district the life quality improvement was related to better conditions to development of agricultural activities.