Why such a tremendous expansion of cattle ranching in the Amazon ? Discussion from a new research methodology
Jonas
Bastos da
Veiga, Embrapa Amazônia- ORiental, jonas@cpatu.embrapa.br
(Presenting)
Marie
Gabrielle
Piketty, Cirad-USP/FEA-Procam, piketty@usp.br
Jean
François
Tourrand, CIRAD-UNB/CDS, tourrand@aol.com
Pablo
Pacheco, IPAM-CIFOR (Belem), p.pacheco@cgiar.org
Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon is strongly linked to the expansion of cattle ranching: according to national inventories, the creation of pasture for cattle ranching accounts for about 80 percent of the deforested areas. Several studies, based on traditional farming systems surveys and analysis, pointed out that this activity has one of the lowest rate of return and is not suited for small scale agriculture, therefore questionning the true underlying factors of such a tremendous investment in this sector from both large and small landholders. During a research project financed by the National Science Foundation, a new methodology has been developed to try to better understand the whole determinants of livestock expansion in several agricultural frontiers of the Amazon (tree cases studies in Brazil, one in Ecudor and in Peru). This paper will present the methodology as well as the results for the Eastern Brazilian Amazon case. The methodology 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 from the actors themselves. Policies implications will be discussed as well as methodological limitations.
Submetido por Marie Gabrielle Piketty em 17-MAR-2004