Abstract
This work analyzes the venture of growing oil palm trees in northeast Pará, emphasizing the social position of rural communities, with the coviability perspective between environmental and social systems. Most studies about the development of this sector in the Amazon region lack an integrated analysis. The socioeconomic data showed that the palm fruit producer municipalities concentrate a high proportion of rural populations, and are significantly handicapped in terms of the Social Progress Index. However, the increase of palm fruit production does not seem to have harmed food production and agricultural diversity, with the agriculture and livestock sector as the main absorber of labor. The native forest is reduced and fragmented, but palm oil production is not the driver of deforestation in the region. The production of smallholder farmers counterbalances the existence of large continuous areas of monoculture. The capacity of rural areas to generate income with palm oil reduces the pressure of communities on the forest. This evidence demonstrates that the partnership between the smallholder farmers and the palm oil agribusiness is favorable for the environmental viability of this economic activity in this region. The social and institutional engagements can generate better adaptive capacity of palm oil production with environmental and social constraints, promoting coviability.
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- 1.
US$ 25.806,00. The exchange rate on June 12th, 2015 was US$1.00 = BRL$3.10.
- 2.
The branch of the National Program of Smallholder Farmers aimed to foster investments that reduce the environmental impacts of rural activities. Available at: http://www.pronafagricola.com.br/pronaf-eco/. Accessed on: 9 June 2015.
- 3.
National Company of Supply (CONAB, in Portuguese) is a public company connected to the Ministry of Agriculture. Among its functions, the company implements the Program of Food Supply from Smallholder Farmers to School Meals.
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Maneschy, M.C., Matlaba, V.J., Santos, J.F.D., Cardoso, A.C.D. (2019). Elements of Coviability in the Agribusiness of Palm Oil in the Eastern Amazon. In: Barrière, O., et al. Coviability of Social and Ecological Systems: Reconnecting Mankind to the Biosphere in an Era of Global Change. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78111-2_13
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