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Introduction: The collection of Bertholletia excelsa Bonpl. (castanha-da-Amazônia; Brazil nuts) seeds make up part of the everyday activities of the traditional populations that have inhabited all of the Amazon basin since remote times. Nonetheless, knowledge about these harvesting activities in native forest areas has not been well documented. The present study was designed to better understand the significance of this harvesting activity as well as the traditional ecological knowledge of the harvesters. Methods: Utilizamos entrevistas semiestruturadas para a coleta de dados com extrativistas de castanha, moradores de Caroebe, Roraima (n = 18) durante o período de março de 2021 a março de 2022. The data analysis was based on the frequency of responses to socio-economic questions and their knowledge about that plant species as well as why those interviewees chose that line of work. We also adopted the Spearman and Mann–Whitney non-parametric tests to correlate variables identified in the study, and selected sections of their depositions to highlight the traditional knowledge of the interviewees and their experiences as harvesters. Results: Constatamos que as razões para a escolha do trabalho com o extrativismo para todos os entrevistados é a necessidade de renda complementar, tradição familiar (55%), the sense of well-being provided by contact with the natural environment (25%), and a favorable disposition toward that type of work (11%). Harvesting involves collective work, and many of the interviewees had engaged in those efforts to help their families since their childhood or adolescence. The older harvesters cited more animal species that consumed the Brazil nuts (ρ = 0.60; p = 0.009) and perceived more and greater changes in the environment that were prejudicial to the Brazil nut trees (U = 9.50; p = 0.022). The interviewees who reported lower incomes cited more significant cultural changes and more suggestions concerning conservation activities. According to their statements, deforestation, and the burning and illegal cutting of native trees, including Brazil nut trees, have contributed to environmental change in the region and raised significant concerns about the future of harvesting activities. Conclusion: The activities of the "nut-crackers" represent to them more than just a simple source of income, as harvesting provides them with a connection to nature that promotes their well-being and cultural heritage. The nut harvesters have gained specific knowledge concerning both environmental and cultural changes. Those changes have mainly come about through the expansion of agricultural activities and the felling of native forests—which are the main threats to the future of Brazil nut extraction. Attributing value to the folk knowledge of those harvesters would strengthen the local economy, promote forest conservation, and help to better understand the impacts of anthropic activities on the forest and the harvesting of natural products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes two of the most important pillars of Brazil's developmentalist project: its internal colonialism and the use of the State of Exception. In order to do that. the focus of the analysis is the construction of the Belo Monte hydroelectric plant, identified as an outstanding case of Brazil's development project. The adopted methodology is based on bibliographic and documentary review through law and literature. It explains the Brazilian project by tracing parallels between the Belo Monte plant and the construction of the windmill in George Orwell's "Animal Farm". The first parallel is the manipulation of ideas to generate social legitimization. In Orwell's novella. the legitimation was generated by the popular demand for better lives for all, summarized in the promise of the "threedays week. while in Brazil the basis for social legitimation is the fuzzy concept of development. almost interchangeable with economic growth, based on a notion of trickle-down economics according to which the whole population would stand to gain from the enrichment of a few. The second parallel is the creation of a State of Exception aimed at making the exception of law the rule in specific territories and to specific populations in order to legally justify the constructions. Finally, it brings up a debate about what it means to be a subject of rights in a context of autoimperialism. drawing attention to the fact that traditional populations. such as indigenous peoples, are being sacrificed in the name of a Brazilian developmental project. as for accumulation to exists it needs to coexist with violence and hoarding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to analyze the environmental sustainability of the traditional Atalaia community, in the municipality of Canavieiras, Bahia, Brazil. The research undertaken uses a qualitative and quantitative approach. For this purpose, sustainability indicators were used, covering the social, economic, and natural resources dimensions. The scale adopted was the ordinal from 0 to 4, with the following intervals: from 0 to < 0.8 (critical sustainability); from 0.8 to < 1.6 (low sustainability); from 1.6 to < 2.4 (average sustainability); from 2.4 to < 3.2 (medium-high sustainability); and from 3.2 to 4 (high sustainability). The results of the study show that, in general, the community of Atalaia has average environmental sustainability, general index of 2.100. In all three dimensions considered, an average environmental sustainability was also achieved, in the social dimension it obtained 2.238, in the economic dimension it obtained 1.686 and in the dimension of natural resources it obtained 2,377. The aspects of health and transportation infrastructure were those identified by the community as the ones most in need of attention and improvement actions. This indicates the need to implement effective actions aimed at these issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extraction of nontimber forest products, an important tool in the conservation of forests and the generation of social benefits, is prominent in the economies of extractive communities. This article describes the production chain of fava d'anta (Dimorphandra gardneriana Tulasne) in two conservation areas of Chapada do Araripe, Northeast of Brazil, highlighting the socioeconomic profile of the collectors and the main conflicts in the extraction process of this resource. Participant observation and semistructured questionnaires were used to collect the information. Data were analyzed by SWOT-AHP, which ranked the main factors and subfactors that can affect the production chain. The extractivist family groups comprise individuals with low levels of education, and their economic base is dependent on the extractions of diverse (at least four) forest products. The fava d'anta chain presents difficulties regarding community organization, resource marketing and distribution, profit sharing among the stakeholders, conservation, and overexploitation of the species. On the other hand, the chain is effective in supporting the subsistence of collectors and the empowerment of minority groups. Obtaining the resource in distinct environments (forested, managed, and cultivated areas) allows extractivists to meet the market demand for the product while safeguarding the species in its natural environments. Collection of fava d'anta fruit in the region is important for extractivist communities and that, for the activity to be effective in promoting regional development, the organizational and institutional environment will need to be adjusted under constant monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Extractive Reserves (Resex) are established from territorial spaces to contribute towards the conservation of certain environmental areas. There is a concern for the conservation of natural resources through sustainable use and permanence and maintenance of the life of populations traditionally inhabiting these areas. These spaces are the product of historical struggles, initially in the northern region of Brazil. The process of Resex constitution is the stage of several interests featuring conflicts, especially social and environmental struggle. In the case of Marine Resex, the conflicts have acquired a greater dimension due to the privileged sites where it was established. Current paper contributes to the debate on the main perspectives and challenges involved in the founding of a Resex. Current descriptive research comprises bibliographic information on the theme, and data from interviews with extractivists of the Marine Resex of Canavieiras BA Brazil. Results show that the conservation of certain environments through the establishment of a Resex is basic for territorial protection and the maintenance of the populations' lifestyle. However, the organization and the mobilization of traditional peoples are crucial for its establishment. This is due to contrary interests to their establishment because of their specificities, localization and the different forms of social-environmental conflicts inherent to the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this article is to analyze the conflicts and contradictions in the territorial expansion of agribusiness globalized in MATOPIBA, considered the newest agricultural frontier in Brazil. For this, a survey of documents on MATOPIBA was carried out in information vehicles, such as governmental and non-governmental bodies, and entities linked to social movements. The collection was performed with the descriptor MATOPIBA, from 2017 to 2018, and selected 201 documents. The categorization was carried out through content analysis, with the creation of two thematic axes: Axis 1: The expansion of agribusiness. Axis 2: Conflicts and resistances of traditional populations. On the one hand, agribusiness finds in MATOPIBA the environmental and social conditions for the territorial expansion of capital in its neoliberal phase, with the articulation of logics of production/accumulation of multinationals to the pension funds that invest and and, on the other hand, traditional populations struggle against violence, killings, and the depletion of their resources. Despite the pressure on several traditional territories, as well as human rights violations, various groups are facing the exclusionary logic of agribusiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ambiente & Sociedade is the property of Nepam Unicamp and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Along the world's (sub) tropics mangroves are important coastal ecosystems supporting small-scale fisheries and human populations, highlighting the need to consider participatory approaches in this ecosystem management. We carried out a socio-ecological assessment to characterize the use and perceptions of local populations at Northeastern Brazil (São Francisco River Estuary) on mangrove fisheries and local development, and pointed out strategies for environmental planning. The questionnaire-based results show that the locals are economically dependent on mangrove fisheries, exploring 12 types of fish, 4 types of crabs, 3 types of mollusks and shrimps. All populations indicated a decrease in the fishery yield, mainly due to a high fishery pressure and shrimp farming. We conclude that strategies pointed out by the locals as creation of an protected area of sustainable use (Extractive Reserve), aided by government support to create a local small-scale fishery processing industry, to cultivate oysters and fish and ecotourism are sustainable alternatives for poverty alleviation and mangrove conservation. These alternatives and the socio-ecological assessment should be a guideline for other mangroves areas worldwide with similar environmental problems and where fishery is the base of economic subsistence, in order to guarantees the long term sustainability of mangrove socio-ecological systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Although socioeconomic vulnerability and lifestyle factors may contribute to the transmission of Toxocara spp., no study has investigated indigenous populations in Brazil using the One Health approach., Methods: Accordingly, this study assessed anti- Toxocara spp. antibodies in Brazilian indigenous people and healthcare professionals by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Presence of Toxocara spp. eggs (feces and hair) in dogs as definitive hosts and in soil samples of the indigenous communities were also recovered and molecularly investigated., Results: Overall, 342/463 (73.9%) indigenous individuals and 46/147 (31.3%) non-indigenous healthcare professionals were seropositive for Toxocara spp. In addition, T. canis eggs were retrieved from 9/194 (4.6%) dog fecal samples and 4/204 (2.0%) dog hair samples, mainly from the Paraná State communities (3/42; 7.1%). Soil contamination was observed only in the Paraná State communities (36/90; 40.0%), with the molecular detection of T. canis . River water consumption was also associated with indigenous seropositivity (Odds ratio, 11.4)., Discussion: Indigenous individuals in Paraná State communities were 2.72-fold more likely to be seropositive than those in São Paulo State, likely due to a lack of sanitary infrastructure. In this scenario, a primarily soil-transmitted disease may also have become waterborne, with embryonated eggs probably spread to water supplies by rain. Full-time healthcare professionals in daily contact with indigenous communities were 9.2-fold more likely to be seropositive than professionals who visited sporadically, suggesting exposure to Toxocara spp. during their work and raising health concerns. In addition, the findings herein showed a significantly higher seroprevalence in indigenous people than in healthcare workers ( χ 2  = 85.5; p  < 0.0001), likely due to overtime exposure to Toxocara spp. In conclusion, Brazilian indigenous communities are highly exposed to toxocariasis, with poor infrastructure and contact with contaminated river water as associated risk factors and a higher risk of infection in healthcare professionals working full-time in these communities., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Santarém, Doline, Ferreira, Farinhas, Biondo, de Souza Filho, Pettan-Brewer, Giuffrida, Lescano, dos Santos, Kmetiuk and Biondo.)

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thinking the meeting place between traditional populations and the modern cultural and global forces, the general objective of the study was to delineate between the population group of Quilombolas, the representational mnemonic about pregnancy and childbirth usually related to the history of the group, identifying their care and treatment practices and representations related to this shared past and social changes that have recently impacted their region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The article discusses the concepts of land ownership in a small town of the coast of Ceará state. Based on a procedural perspective, attempts to show how this conception has changed over time, exposing the nuances of the process of transforming land into a commodity, in that locality, especially after the interference of a company focused on tourism. The empirical data used came from ethnographic research that is being done in the town of Tatajuba, located in the far-western coast of the state of Ceara, near the beach of Jericoacoara, a region prioritized within the scope of a major tourist route, having direct support from the Ministry of Tourism, the State governments of Ceará, Piauí and Maranhão, the cities situated along the tourism route, as well as Sebrae and the Bank of Northeast Brazil. Throughout the article it is shown how these recent changes undermine the perception of older inhabitants about the events that led to the situation of dispute, producing cleavages as the field of conflict and interest about property land defines itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this study, we review the current available information on the social–ecological context of Brazilian tropical dry forests (TDFs), a vegetation type that covers approximately 3% of the country territory. For this purpose, we conducted a comparative analysis of two case studies, one study in the north of Minas Gerais state and the other in Paranã River Basin, situated in southeastern and central Brazil, respectively. We compiled published bibliographical and census-based data for the two regions, concerning the historical human occupation and land use and the environmental and development policies affecting TDF management and sustainable use. Brazilian TDFs usually occur in semi-arid climates, and have been intensely converted mainly to extensive pasturelands in large farms, thus leading to high income concentration in those areas. Our case studies involve less-developed regions that support populations with very low human development indices, which is the norm for Brazilian TDFs. Many of these are traditional populations, such as indigenous and slave descendents, with peculiar cultural practices only recently considered in government policies proposed for the forest management. Though the two regions have similar land use histories, current social–ecological scenarios are very different. In the north of Minas Gerais, TDF conversion policies were debated intensely for the last 15 years, recently resulting in a state law specifically generated to regulate TDF use. Also, this region has 20 conservation units (CUs), some of them delimited inside the territories of the several traditional populations that inhabit TDF areas. This process caused enduring conflicts that can affect both CUs’ effectiveness and the sustenance of these populations. In the Paranã River Basin, there is no specific policy towards TDFs, whose use is regulated by the 43-year-old Brazilian Federal Forest Code. There are only four CUs in this region, and most traditional populations were expelled from their original territories and consequently lost their cultural identity. Government sustainability strategies are limited to the establishment of CUs, a response that may disregard social demands and cultural practices, depending on the local context. Given the uniqueness and threat level to TDFs, specific and more diversified policies towards land use should be established for these ecosystems in order to stimulate low-impact activities that maintain ecosystem services and improve the livelihoods of TDF inhabitants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

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This article argues that the devaluation of traditional cultures in Brazil is due to the process of modernization exported from the central economies to the periphery. This process gives excessive emphasis to the 'work ethic' related to valuable, competitive and disciplined work. This ethic guarantees social and civilizing recognition, not only in the economic sphere, but above all in other dimensions of social life. The power of such ethic determines the non-recognition and the lack of self-esteem of the traditional populations. To contribute to this debate, this article suggests the implementation of a Basic Income, which can contribute to the preservation of the culture of these peoples, in particular the remaining former slave communities (quilombolas), as these populations and people do not have a lifestyle based on modern production of economic surplus, competition and the organization of production units. The implementation of the Basic Income may help these people maintain their traditional ways of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Economia e Sociologia Rural is the property of Sociedade Brasileira de Economia e Sociologia Rural and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)