PACHECO, P.

PIKETTY, M. G.

TOURRAND, J. F.

VEIGA, J. B. da

RCAAP - Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal

Why such a tremendous expansion of cattle ranching in the Amazon? discussion from a new research methodology.

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III Conferência Científica do LBAAnais de Trabalhos Completos27 a 29 de julho de 2004Academia de Tênis ResortBrasíJia, BrasilIII LBA Scientific ConferenceAbstract BookJuly 27-29, 2004Academia de TênisBrasília, Brazil2.7: Why such a tremendous expansion of cattle ranching in the Amazon ? Discussion from a new researchmethodologyJonas Bastos da Veiga, Embrapa Amazônia- ORiental, jonas@cpatu.embrapa br (Apresentador / Presenting)Marie Gabrielle Piketty, Cirad-USP/FEA-Procam, piketty@usp.brJean François Tourrand, ClRAD-UNB/CDS, tourrand@aol.comPablo Pacheco, IPAM-CIFOR (Belem), p.pacheco@cgiar.orgDeforestation in the Brazilian Amazon is strongly linked to the expansion of cattle ranching: according to nationalinventories, the creation of pasture for cattle ranching accounts for about 80 percent of the deforested areas. Severalstudies, based on traditional farming systems surveys and analysis, pointed out that this activity has one of the lowest rateof return and is not suited for small scale agriculture, therefore questionning the true underlying factors of such atremendous investment in this sector from both large and small landholders. During a research project financed by theNational Science Foundation, a new methodology has been developed to try to better understand the whole determinantsof livestock expansion in several agricultural frontiers of the Amazon (tree cases studies in Brazil, one in Ecudor and inPeru). This paper will present the methodology as well as the results for the Eastern Brazilian Arnazon case. Themethodology is based on the identification of key-informants and qualitative open surveys led by multidisciplinary groups.Results allow to better rank the main determinants of livestock expansion in the Eastern Brazilian Amazon as drawn frornthe actors themselves. Policies implications will be discussed as well as methodological limitations.2.8: Landscape Fragmentation and Conservation in Rondônia: The Role of Settlers, Loggers, and Forest PeoplesMateus Batistella, Embrapa Satellite Monitoring, mb@cnpm.embrapa.br (Apresentador / Presenting)An understanding of changes in Amazonian landscapes depends on documentation about a'terations in land cover. Thispaper addresses studies in areas of rural settlement in Rondônia, where distinct actors have altered the pristineenvironment during the last twenty years. Two situations were compared in terms of their biophysical and institutionalaspects. Remete sensing and fieldwork were used to map land-use/land-cover (LULC) changes. Settlers, loggers, forestpeoples, and other local actors were interviewed about their production systems and land-use history. Spatial metrics werecalculated to analyze changes in landscape composition and configuration. The results indicate that the combination ofpriva te lots with communal reserves, managed by local populations, produces positive outcomes in maintaining largerpatches of forest. The research is intended to serve as a contribution to analyses and syntheses about LULC changeprocesses, subsidizing public policies that incorporate social and environmental dimensions. Current trends within theregion are also addressed.2.9: Agents ;;f DeforestationEustáquio J. Reis, IPEA, ejreis@ipea.gov.brDiana Weinhold, LSE, weinhold@lse.ac.uk (Apresentador / Presenting)Using some traditional and some more recent econometric results for model evaluation in panel data and a comprehensivedata set on land use in the Brazilian Amazon, we revisit the question of whether the size composition of agriculturalestablishments in the Amazon region plays a role in determining the rate of deforestation. Fearnside (1993) has presentedevidence that, contrary to some official Brazilian clarrns. small land holders account for a relatively small proportion ofdeforestation in the Amazon. States in which large establishments are relatively abundant are also those which tend tohave the greatest percentage of deforested land, although smallland holders deforest land more intensively.We use census tract levei data and a large array of variables to control for the natural vegetation, clima te and economicenvironment to examine whether the size composition of establishments plays a signficant causal role in land use decisionsand deforestation .. In addition we employ dynamic econometric modelling techniques rather than relying exclusively oncontemporaneous correlation to study how these relationships have evolved over time and across space2.10: Transportation Logistics and Endogenous Development in the AmazonBertha K Becker, UFRJ, b.becker@uol.com.br (Apresentador / Presenting)Brazil is a continent, and was historically forged according to the frontier economy paradigm. From the sixties on, hugeroads have been built in the Amazon aiming, first, to national integration, and then to exports, mainly of so»: Meanwhile,intrarregional connectivity was neglected. There is, therefore, a conflict between: a) Soy competitiveness on externalmarkets, which depends on lower costs based on a powerful logistics that is being developed by corporations; b) Local andregional endogenous development based on diversified production mainly for local markets, that lack adequateinfrastructure to support their activities. In other words, there is a conflict between two, very different time-spaces, thatdemand diFferent strategies for their existence.It is well known the perverse social and environmental impacts of road building in the Amazon. Nevertheless, althoughwith different motivations, ali regional actors today ask for transportation. The central question, therefore, is how to solvethe conflict between such different time-spaces associated to divergent interest and forces. The paper discussesalternatives at the political, territorial, scientific and technological levels.

Why such a tremendous expansion of cattle ranching in the Amazon? discussion from a new research methodology.

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