Livelihood activities and land-use at a riparian frontier of the Brazilian Amazon: quantitative characterization and qualitative insights into the influence of knowledge, values, and beliefs

We examined if smallholders that immigrated to the Amazon over the last 40 years (highway-era families) and households with historical ties to the region (rubber-era families) adopt different livelihood activities and land-use/land-cover (LULC) patterns, in four communities along the Tapajós River i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Human ecology : an interdisciplinary journal 2014-08, Vol.42 (4), p.521-540
Main Authors: Oestreicher, Jordan Sky, Farella, Nicolina, Paquet, Serge, Davidson, Robert, Lucotte, Marc, Mertens, Frédéric, Saint-Charles, Johanne
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural land
Agroecology
Agroforestry
Amazon
Anthropology
Brazil
cattle
Choices
Communities
Crops
Deforestation
Ecological sustainability
Environmental Management
Forest products
Forests
Geography
Households
Knowledge
Land management
Land use
Livelihood
Management
Pastures
planning
Qualitative research
ranching
Riparian forests
Riparian land
rivers
Rubber
Sales
Social Sciences
Sociology
Sustainable agriculture
Sustainable development
Symbolism
Values
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Summary:We examined if smallholders that immigrated to the Amazon over the last 40 years (highway-era families) and households with historical ties to the region (rubber-era families) adopt different livelihood activities and land-use/land-cover (LULC) patterns, in four communities along the Tapajós River in the Brazilian Amazon. Using quantitative data, we characterized three portfolios of livelihood activities, each associated to different LULC. Both rubber-era and highway-era families practice a wide range of activities from all portfolios; however, families that have been in the region for several generations tend to adopt traditional activities (e.g., fishing, non-timber forest product gathering and sales), while recently settled families tend to practice agrarian activities more intensively (e.g., cattle ranching, sale of non-native crops). We then draw on qualitative data to examine some of the underlying reasons for these differences. While recognizing that livelihoods are complex systems with many influential factors, we reflect on some of the overlooked drivers of livelihood and LULC choices such as knowledge, visions of development, and the immaterial value and symbolic meaning of resources. We also reflect on how they shape intended land management choices and relate to household settlement histories. The implications for regional resource-use planning and future research are mentioned.
ISSN:0300-7839
1572-9915
DOI:10.1007/s10745-014-9667-3