Data from the IBGE's 2022 Continuous PNAD (National Institute of Geography and Statistics) show significant progress in internet access in recent years, particularly in rural areas. The percentage of people with internet access rose from 32% to 78% between 2016 and 2022, an increase of 1,44%. The growth in the number of people using the internet in rural households since 2016 has been most significant in the South and Central-West regions, where the best "coverage rates" are also observed: in these regions, only 15% of households lacked effective internet access due to the unavailability of the service in the area.
In the tobacco sector, the numbers are even more impressive. A CEPA/UFRGS survey conducted in 2023 found that 92.11% of tobacco farmers in the Southern Region of Brazil have internet access at home; and 1.61% have internet access at a nearby location (such as an association or club). Internet access enables tobacco farmers to participate in various social networks. In the Southern Region, almost 951% of these farmers participate in some social network: WhatsApp and Facebook are among the most used, with 98.91% and 84.61% of farmers using them. Instagram and YouTube are used by 37.81% and 24.11% of farmers, respectively.
Data indicates that internet use has grown among Brazilian rural producers, but does this change the context of farm succession? From the use of specific software and programs for property management to the adoption of new equipment or techniques that reduce production costs, the internet offers countless benefits, but it also makes it even more important to seek training and stay up-to-date on new equipment and technologies available to the farm.
"More than just connections, for rural youth to want to stay in the countryside, they need training opportunities tailored to their needs. And this is the main objective of the Growing Up Right Institute, a tobacco industry initiative that has been providing income and professional training to rural adolescents," comments Iro Schünke, the Institute's CEO.
Founded in 2015, the Growing Up Right Institute has already established a presence in 20 municipalities in the Southern Region of Brazil, hosting 54 classes of the Rural Professional Apprenticeship Program. This innovative format, validated by the Ministry of Labor, utilizes the apprenticeship law. Using quotas from its associated and supporting companies, all tobacco companies, the Growing Up Right Institute provides young apprentices to children of rural producers, aged 14 to 17, who can attend the Entrepreneurship and Rural Management course after school, ensuring they stay away from activities inappropriate for their age.
Michele de Cássia Dzindzny, a social educator in the Rural Professional Apprenticeship Program at the Growing Up Right Institute in São João do Triunfo, Paraná, shares how inspiring interacting with the apprentices and identifying with their realities has been. "Through the course, the apprentices have the opportunity to share their experiences and consider improvements. We can see the pride they feel in talking about their communities, the respect they have for agriculture, and they demonstrate an appreciation for the opportunities rural environments offer. For us, a small municipality whose mainstay is agriculture, particularly tobacco farming, the Institute represents new opportunities for rural youth," she comments.
