Resume

This paper seeks to identify the socio-economic impacts caused by the expansion of the sugarcane, sugar and ethanol sectors in Nova Alvorada do Sul (NAS) and in Rio Brilhante (RB) cities, both located in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. These municipalities were chosen because they are areas of strong growth of sugarcane in the state, and because there are no other industries of significant size there, in order to highlight the impact of the installation of the analyzed sectors. The primary data was gathered through a field research (visit to both cities) and by interviews with public and private stackholders. Also we analyzed published data (educational level, regional income, tax collection) from the Brazilian government statistics, for the years 2000 (before the installation of the plants) and 2008 (after). The impacts are evaluated on the following aspects: status of the local labor market, farming families, regional income, local market, tax collection, education. The results have registered the following: positive job creation and increased income (the GDP in NAS has grown about 300%; and 200% in the RB); boosting the local market (in 2000 there were about 100 retail stores in NAS, and in 2008 it has grown to 200; in RB, it passed from about 160 retail stores to almost 300, most of them related to the sugarcane sector); no conflicts within family farming, as this created job opportunities for them. Besides the positive impact on education (we found many data on public and private investments in education and training programs related to the sugarcane, sugar and ethanol sectors); it was verified an important and significant growth in municipal tax collection, due the installation of the ethanol and sugar plants. Therefore, we conclude that the installation of the sugarcane sector contributed to the socio-economic improvement of those cities. ഀ