The diversification of the succession arrangements on non-agricultural rural properties in the northwest of Rio Grande do Sul

This article aims to analyze the methods or succession arrangements carried out by farmer’s children whose properties develop non-agricultural activities. Twenty-six young people have been interviewed in the town of Crissiumal, located in the Northwest Region of Rio Grande do Sul state. These young have been selected following some specifications: to live in rural areas on their paternal properties or to be independently settled on other properties; to live in rural areas, performing non-agricultural, pluriactive or para-agricultural activities as a way of generating income. The results demonstrate that non-agricultural activities are important both in keeping the youth in the rural areas and in maintaining the properties’ succession. Therefore, it is possible to find three succession arrangements: generational succession, rural succession, and hereditary succession. It means that the permanence of young people, children of farmers, in the rural area goes beyond the traditional model of generational succession. There are other arrangements in progress when working within the possibilities of non-agricultural activities. Keywords: Continuity. Rural Area. Succession. Rural Development.