“…the Institute has lost, in the last four years alone, more than 40% of its staff…”
César Aldrighi is the president of the National Institute of Colonization and Agrarian Reform – Incra, was secretary of agriculture and supply of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, and has worked at Incra for 16 years. Aldrighi is an agronomist from the Federal University of Pelotas and specialist in cooperativism.
César Aldrighi, president of Incra
AgriBrasilis – Incra is responsible for formulating and executing the national land policy. What are the steps in this process? How is land policy “executed”?
César Aldrighi – In order to be part of the National Agrarian Reform Program (PNRA) and be benefited as a settler, the rural worker must participate in a selection promoted exclusively by Incra.
During March, the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Family Agriculture, together with Incra, carries out the strategic planning that will define the actions for the next period.
AgriBrasilis – What was the Institute’s role in recent years?
César Aldrighi – In recent years, there has been a systematic budget cut at Incra. In addition, the Institute has lost, in the last four years alone, more than 40% of its staff. The reflection was the near stoppage in the process of settlement creation, the stoppage of the recognition of quilombola {inhabitants of quilombos, independent communities that emerged during Brazil’s colonial period} territories and the decrease in the payment of credits destined to settled farmers.
AgriBrasilis – What changes with the new government? What will be the institution’s focus in the coming years?
César Aldrighi – Incra’s budget for 2023 represents less than 5% of the budget allocated to the agency in 2010. Compared to the US$ 913 million from that year, the autarchy now has at its disposal – for all commitments – less than US$ 57 million.
We have the challenge, not only of recomposing the budget, but also of resuming credit policies, quilombola policies and land acquisition for agrarian reform. In addition, we will re-establish the use of public lands for agrarian reform purposes and the acquisition of farms, mainly related to the adjudication by the Public Treasury, and the acquisition of land covered by article 243 of the Federal Constitution (illegal crops and exploitation of work similar to slavery).
AgriBrasilis – What are the relations between Incra and Brazil’s Landless Workers Movement – MST? What is the Institute’s position on land invasions?
César Aldrighi – We are open to dialogue with social movements, representative entities and other government entities. Recently, the Minister of Agrarian Development and Family Agriculture, Paulo Teixeira, reaffirmed obedience to the Constitution, that guarantees protection to private property while at the same time demanding compliance with the social function of property.
AgriBrasilis – What is the agreement signed between Suzano, MST and Incra? Is the agreement being fulfilled in accordance with the parties?
César Aldrighi – Negotiations with Suzano were interrupted in 2016, with management changes in the municipality. At the present moment, Incra adopts measures to update the administrative processes instituted at the time for the appropriate technical and legal verifications.
The current management of Incra believes that the creation of settlements in the region is a measure that can mitigate existing conflicts between the company Suzano and the local population, in addition to collaborating for the development of the region.
AgriBrasilis – Why does Incra want to annul the purchase of land carried out by Agrocortex?
César Aldrighi – After analyzing the documentation submitted by the companies and the legal opinion of its Specialized Attorney, Incra identified that the business between the companies was carried out in disagreement with the legislation that determines that, in cases of acquisition or indirect leasing, through participation in social quotas of a company that owns rural property, the legal transaction must be previously authorized under the terms of Law No. 5,709, of 1971, and Decree No. 74,965, of 1974, under penalty of nullity, pursuant to art. 15 of Law No. 5709 of 1971.
Incra notified the General Inspectorate of the Court of Justice of the State of Amazonas, last December, that is responsible for enacting (in administrative proceedings) or declaring (in judicial proceedings) the nullity of registrations of acquisitions or leases of rural properties, as provided in articles 214 and 216 of Law No. 6015, of December 31, 1973.
Also in last December, Incra communicated its technical and legal conclusions to the Federal Public Ministry.
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