A nova voz do campo: desafios e perspectivas da juventude feminina no agronegócio cearense

Abstract

The debate on youth, gender and agribusiness has gained relevance by highlighting the transformations in the productive, social and identity dynamics in rural areas, especially with regard to the growing insertion and performance of young women in the sector. In this context, the present study analyzes the profile, challenges and perspectives of female youth inserted in agribusiness in Ceará, Brazil. The general objective was to understand how young women insert themselves and act in agribusiness in Ceará, considering the challenges and future prospects in

the sector. This is a qualitative, exploratory and descriptive research, carried out through semi- structured interviews with twelve young women, aged between 18 and 29 years, working in

different areas of agribusiness in the state of Ceará. The data analysis was conducted using the content analysis technique, organized into three central axes: insertion and performance, challenges and barriers, and incentives and future perspectives. The results show plural trajectories of insertion, marked by academic training, family tradition and institutional opportunities, as well as the presence of gender and generational inequalities, expressed in processes of professional delegitimization, overload of functions and situations of harassment. Despite these challenges, young women demonstrate strong engagement, protagonism and projects of permanence and growth in agribusiness, contributing to the renewal and resignification of the sector in the context of Ceará.