Pobreza na população rural nordestina: análise de suas características durante os anos noventa

Abstract

Evolution of rural poverty and its determinants in the Northeast of Brazil are analyzed, based on data for the years 1992, 1995 and 1999. Micro data collected by PNAD allows an analysis of possible changes in the level and magnitude of rural poverty and inequality. Logit regressions are estimated to analyze characteristics and determinants of poverty at na individual level, based on the marginal contributions of these attributes for the typical individuals in the sample. Education, color, sex, occupation and state of residence are the characteristics analyzed. It is shown that education is the variable most responsible for determining the probability of an individual to be poor. Finally, some suggestions are made in relation to policy actions that make it possible to minimize this picture of misery and social injustice.