Territorial disputes between pequi agro-extractivism and the agribusiness in the substitution of the Cerrado instead of agribusiness: study of the microregions Porto Franco (MA) and Jalapão (TO)

Author(s)

Rodrigo Meiners Mandujano

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Geociências
• Defense date: 2013-08-16

Examining board members

Vicente Eudes Lemos Alves; Edvaldo César Moretti; Marta Inez Medeiros Marques

• Advisor: Vicente Eudes Lemos Alves

Abstract

The Cerrado is the second largest biome in Brazil, its surface corresponds to approximately 21% of territory of the country. It is considered the most biologically diverse tropical savanna in the world and provides great amounts of water to the main river basins of the country. However, the insertion of the agribusiness capitalist reflected in intense deforestation biome that in the last 35 years, has lost nearly half of original surface. The pequizeiro is a value tree identity of the Cerrado, widely distributed biome and is part of the regional culture of traditional peoples. The objectives were to analyze organizational processes, strategies of resistance and ways of life of the organizations agroextractivist of the pequi in the context of disputes over land with the expansion of agribusiness in micro Porto Franco-MA and Jalapão-TO. There were two field works, which information were collected through interviews and field diary. It was found that Pequi is part of peasant and indigenous culture, the persistence of its use in the ways of life, especially as a food supplement in the basic diet of the population. The fruit is intensely consumed at the crop time and marketed informally by the peasants, which sales of fresh fruit for middlemen from other regions. Only an organization sells derived the fruit for local market and another is inoperative at the moment but carries an annual pequi party. The main reasons for the failure of the production and marketing of pequi in an articulated network include: lack of monitoring and analysis of the results of governmental and non-governmental support received, the conserved regions do not have structured projects for environmental conservation; blocks in legislation and lack training and investment to satisfy the obligations phyto sanitary for inclusion in support programs agroextractivism; desinterest and lack of prospects for young people for agroextractivism, lack of participation and role of women. It was observed striking depoliticization of organizations agroextractivist without critical positions with the peasant identity and with agroextractivism because they act disconnected from rural social movements. Disputes territorial-based strategy of building productive activities before advancing monocultures capitalists lack of strength, facilitating the expansion of agribusiness alarmingly (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/05336-1 - Pequi's agro-extractive and soy's expansion in the cerrado: spatial study of microregions Porto Franco-MA and Jalapão-TO, Brazil
• Grantee: Rodrigo Meiners Mandujano
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master