Paths of diversification: Land use, livelihood strategies and social learning along the aging of a land reform settlement in Acre, Brazil

Copyright 2009 Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências SociaisThis paper explores the story of settlers overcoming challenges common to the environment of expanding agricultural frontiers, and how this is reflected on the land-use and livelihood choices that unfold with the aging of settlements. The study site is a land reform project in the State of Acre, Brazil. We found that most families seek to diversify their livelihood strategies and take advantage of new opportunities as a way to cope with income uncertainties largely present on the frontier setting. As in other parts of the Amazon, cattle-ranching is the single most important activity to secure income, but complementary activities such as agroforestry and fish breeding are key for economic security and improvements

Paths of Diversification: Land use, livelihood strategies and social learning along the aging of a land reform settlement in Acre, Brazil

This paper explores the story of  settlers overcoming challenges common to the environment of  expanding agricultural frontiers, and how  this  is  refected on  the  land-use  and  livelihood  choices that unfold with the aging of  settlements. The study site  is a land reform project  in  the State of  Acre, Brazil. We  found  that most families seek to diversify their livelihood strategies and take advantage of  new opportunities  as  a way  to  cope with  income uncertainties  largely present on  the  frontier  setting. As  in other parts of  the Amazon, cattle-ranching is the single most important activity  to  secure  income, but  complementary  activities  such  as agroforestry and fsh breeding are key for economic security and improvements.Key words: land-use, Acre, Amazonia.Este manuscrito  explora  la  estoria de  asentados  que pasan por desafíos comunes al contexto de fronteras agrícolas en expansión, y de como estos desafíos se refejan en las opciones de uso de la tierra y en las estratégias econômicas que se desdoblan con el desarrollar de los asentamientos. El área de estudios es un proyecto de  reforma agraria en el Estado de Acre, Brasil. Los  resultados indican que  la mayor parte de  las  familias opta por  la diversifcación de las estrategias de se ganar la vida, y se benefcian de las oportunidades como forma de protección contra las incertidumbres  relacionadas  a  la  renta  familiar. Así  como  en  otras  partes de la Amazonía, la ganadería es la actividad más importante para asegurar la renta familiar, pero actividades complementares como sistemas  agroforestales  y  el  cultivo  de  pescados  són  clave  para mejorar las condiciones de seguridad y económicas.Palabras-clave: uso de la tierra, Acre, Amazonía.Este manuscrito  explora  la  estoria de  asentados  que pasan por desafíos comunes al contexto de fronteras agrícolas en expansión, y de como estos desafíos se refejan en las opciones de uso de la tierra y en las estratégias econômicas que se desdoblan con el desarrollar de los asentamientos. El área de estudios es un proyecto de  reforma agraria en el Estado de Acre, Brasil. Los  resultados indican que  la mayor parte de  las  familias opta por  la diversifcación de las estrategias de se ganar la vida, y se benefcian de las oportunidades como forma de protección contra las incertidumbres  relacionadas  a  la  renta  familiar. Así  como  en  otras  partes de la Amazonía, la ganadería es la actividad más importante para asegurar la renta familiar, pero actividades complementares como sistemas  agroforestales  y  el  cultivo  de  pescados  són  clave  para mejorar las condiciones de seguridad y económicas.Palabras-clave: uso de la tierra, Acre, Amazonía.Este artigo explora a história de colonos que enfrentam os desafos de fronteiras agrícolas em expansão, e de como estes desafos se refetem nas escolhas de uso da terra e nas estratégias econômicas que se desdobram ao longo da vida dos assentamentos. A área de estudo é um projeto de reforma agrária no Estado do Acre, Brasil. Os resultados indicam que a maior parte das famílias busca a diversifcação das estratégias de sustento, e se aproveitam de novas oportunidades como forma de se proteger contra incertezas relacionadas à renda familiar comuns às regiões de fronteiras agrícolas. Tal como em outras partes da Amazônia, a pecuária é a atividade mais importante para assegurar a renda familiar, mas atividades complementares como sistemas groforestais e criação de peixes são fundamentais para a melhoria e a segurança das condições econômicas. Palavras-chave: uso da terra, Acre, Amazonia

Human dimensions of climate change: the vulnerability of small farmers in the Amazon

This paper argues for a twofold perspective on human adaptation to climate change in the Amazon. First, we need to understand the processes that mediate perceptions of environmental change and the behavioural responses at the levels of the individual and the local population. Second, we should take into account the process of production and dissemination of global and national climate information and models to regional and local populations, especially small farmers. We discuss the sociocultural and environmental diversity of small farmers in the Amazon and their susceptibility to climate change associated with drought, flooding and accidental fire. Using survey, ethnographic and archival data from study areas in the state of Pará, we discuss farmers' sources of knowledge and long-term memory of climatic events, drought and accidental fire; their sources of climate information; their responses to drought and fire events and the impact of changing rainfall patterns on land use. We highlight the challenges of adaptation to climate change created by the influence of migration and family turnover on collective action and memory, the mismatch of scales used to monitor and disseminate climate data and the lack of extension services to translate large-scale forecasts to local needs. We found that for most farmers, memories of extended drought tend to decrease significantly after 3 years. Over 50% of the farmers interviewed in 2002 did not remember as significant the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) drought of 1997/1998. This helps explain why approximately 40% of the farmers have not changed their land-use behaviours in the face of the strongest ENSO event of the twentieth century

AGRICULTURA DE PEQUENA ESCALA E SUAS IMPLICAÇÕES NA TRANSIÇÃO AGROECOLÓGICA NA AMAZÔNIA BRASILEIRA

The National Agricultural Census of 2006 presented, for the first time, a portrait of small scale agriculture in Brazil, highlighting its central importance in terms of food production and rural employment. Using the 2006 census as a context, this article discusses the implications of different terms, such as traditional agriculture and family agriculture, used to define small scale agriculture in Brazil. We use data from 2,400 families in seven colonization settlements included as part of the Brazilian pilot public policy program Proambiente to discuss the influence of variables (e.g. socio-demographic, economic, and infrastructure) on the land use in the Brazilian Amazon. The article concludes by stressing the importance of infrastructure and rural credit in promoting different trajectories of agroecological transitions among small scale producers in the Brazilian Amazon.Keywords: land use, ecological economics, agricultural economics, traditional agriculture, family agriculture, agroecological transition, Amazon Basin.Os dados do Censo Agropecuário 2006 apresentam um retrato da agricultura brasileira de pequena escala e realçam a sua importância na produção de alimentos e na geração de empregos no campo. Dentro do contexto revelado no Censo, o presente artigo discute a implicação de diferentes termos, como agricultura tradicional e agricultura familiar, usados na definição de agricultura de pequena escala no Brasil. Como estudo de caso, o artigo utilizou dados de 2.400 lotes rurais familiares, localizados em sete projetos de colonização e selecionados pela política pública piloto Proambiente, para discutir a influência de variáveis (sócio-demográficas, econômicas e de infra-estrutura) no uso da terra na Amazônia brasileira. O artigo conclui que o acesso à infraestrutura e ao crédito rural são importantes na promoção de diferentes trajetórias de transição agroecológica entre produtores de pequena escala da Amazônia brasileira.Palavras-chaves: uso da terra, economia ecológica, economia agrícola, agricultura tradicional, agricultura familiar, transição agroecológica, Amazônia.AbstractThe National Agricultural Census of 2006 presented, for the first time, a portrait of small scale agriculture in Brazil, highlighting its central importance in terms of food production and rural employment. Using the 2006 census as a context, this article discusses the implications of different terms, such as traditional agriculture and family agriculture, used to define small scale agriculture in Brazil. We use data from 2,400 families in seven colonization settlements included as part of the Brazilian pilot public policy program Proambiente to discuss the influence of variables (e.g. socio-demographic, economic, and infrastructure) on the land use in the Brazilian Amazon. The article concludes by stressing the importance of infrastructure and rural credit in promoting different trajectories of agroecological transitions among small scale producers in the Brazilian Amazon.Keywords: land use, ecological economics, agricultural economics, traditional agriculture, family agriculture, agroecological transition, Amazon Basin. ResumenEl Censo Nacional Agropecuario de 2006 presentó, por primera vez, un retrato de la agricultura en pequeña escala en Brasil, destacando su importancia central en términos de producción alimentaria y el empleo rural. Utilizando el censo de 2006 como un contexto, este artículo analiza las implicaciones de los diferentes términos, como la agricultura tradicional y la agricultura familiar, que sirven para definir la agricultura a pequeña escala en Brasil. Hemos utilizado los datos de 2.400 familias en siete asentamientos de colonización incluido como parte del piloto brasileño Proambiente, programa de política pública para discutir la influencia de variables (por ejemplo, socio-demográficos, económicos y de infraestructura) en el uso de la tierra en la Amazonia brasileña. El artículo concluye que la infraestructura y el crédito rural son importantes en la promoción de diferentes trayectorias de transiciones agroecológicas entre productores de pequeña escala en la Amazonía brasileña.Palabras clave: uso de la tierra, la economía ecológica, economía agrícola, la agricultura tradicional, la agricultura familiar, transiciónagroecológica, Cuenca Amazónica

Reframing the wilderness concept can bolster collaborative conservation

Indigenous territories represent ~45% of land categorized as wilderness in the Amazon, but account for <15% of all forest loss on this land. At a time when the Amazon faces unprecedented pressures, overcoming polarization and aligning the goals of wilderness defenders and Indigenous peoples is paramount, to avoid environmental degradation.Peer reviewe

A State‐of‐the‐Art Review of Indigenous Peoples and Environmental Pollution

Indigenous peoples (IPs) worldwide are confronted by the increasing threat of pollution. Based on a comprehensive review of the literature (n = 686 studies), we present the current state of knowledge on: 1) the exposure and vulnerability of IPs to pollution; 2) the environmental, health, and cultural impacts of pollution upon IPs; and 3) IPs' contributions to prevent, control, limit, and abate pollution from local to global scales. Indigenous peoples experience large burdens of environmental pollution linked to the expansion of commodity frontiers and industrial development, including agricultural, mining, and extractive industries, as well as urban growth, waste dumping, and infrastructure and energy development. Nevertheless, IPs are contributing to limit pollution in different ways, including through environmental monitoring and global policy advocacy, as well as through local resistance toward polluting activities. This work adds to growing evidence of the breadth and depth of environmental injustices faced by IPs worldwide, and we conclude by highlighting the need to increase IPs' engagement in environmental decision‐making regarding pollution control. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2020;16:324–341. © 2019 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC)Peer reviewe

INCLUDING INDIGENOUS AND LOCAL KNOWLEDGE IN THE WORK OF THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL SCIENCE-POLICY PLATFORM ON BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES (IPBES) GLOBAL ASSESSMENT : Outcomes and lessons for the future

This chapter makes a strong case for greater inclusion of Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK) in global environmental policy fora and in science-policy interfaces. The chapter specifically looks at the IPBES Global Assessment which has developed one of the first global-scale mechanisms for operationalizing ILK in sustainability decision-making. The types of knowledges that have been successfully integrated into this assessment include ways in which ILK can help (1) to assess ecosystem change and associated human vulnerability; (2) to inform the achievement of global goals like the Sustainable Development Goals and Aichi Targets; and (3) to inform policy-relevant options for decision-makers. It is argued that other global initiatives seeking to engage ILK in their endeavours can learn from the ILK approach of the IPBES Global Assessment.Peer reviewe

Response to "Practice what you preach : Ensuring scientific spheres integrate Indigenous Peoples' and Local Communities' rights and agency too" by Lopez-Maldonado

Non peer reviewe

Urbanization in and for the Anthropocene

Key insights on needs in urban regional governance - Global urbanization (the increasing concentration in urban settlements of the increasing world population), is a driver and accelerator of shifts in diversity, new cross-scale interactions, decoupling from ecological processes, increasing risk and exposure to shocks. Responding to the challenges of urbanization demands fresh commitments to a city–regional perspective in ways that are explictly embedded in the Anthopocene bio- techno- and noospheres, to extend existing understanding of the city–nature nexus and regional scale. Three key dimensions of cities that constrain or enable constructive, cross scale responses to disturbances and extreme events include 1) shifting diversity, 2) shifting connectivity and modularity, and 3) shifting complexity. These three dimensions are characteristic of current urban processes and offer potential intervention points for local to global action.Open Access funding provided by Stockholm Universit

Importance of Indigenous Peoples' lands for the conservation of Intact Forest Landscapes

Intact Forest Landscapes (IFLs) are critical strongholds for the environmental services that they provide, not least for their role in climate protection. On the basis of information about the distributions of IFLs and Indigenous Peoples’ lands, we examined the importance of these areas for conserving the world's remaining intact forests. We determined that at least 36% of IFLs are within Indigenous Peoples’ lands, making these areas crucial to the mitigation action needed to avoid catastrophic climate change. We also provide evidence that IFL loss rates have been considerably lower on Indigenous Peoples’ lands than on other lands, although these forests are still vulnerable to clearing and other threats. World governments must recognize Indigenous Peoples’ rights, including land tenure rights, to ensure that Indigenous Peoples play active roles in decision‐making processes that affect IFLs on their lands. Such recognition is critical given the urgent need to reduce deforestation rates in the face of escalating climate change and global biodiversity loss.Intact Forest Landscapes (IFLs) are critical strongholds for the environmental services that they provide, not least for their role in climate protection. On the basis of information about the distributions of IFLs and Indigenous Peoples' lands, we examined the importance of these areas for conserving the world's remaining intact forests. We determined that at least 36% of IFLs are within Indigenous Peoples' lands, making these areas crucial to the mitigation action needed to avoid catastrophic climate change. We also provide evidence that IFL loss rates have been considerably lower on Indigenous Peoples' lands than on other lands, although these forests are still vulnerable to clearing and other threats. World governments must recognize Indigenous Peoples' rights, including land tenure rights, to ensure that Indigenous Peoples play active roles in decision-making processes that affect IFLs on their lands. Such recognition is critical given the urgent need to reduce deforestation rates in the face of escalating climate change and global biodiversity loss.Peer reviewe