Brazil: at the crossroads of social and environmental issues

The Ribeirinhos live in the heart of Brazilian Amazon between the forest and the tranquil waters of the Tapajós river. These descendants of the American Indians and Portuguese settlers are at the heart of major challenges involving the management and use of forest resources. Their presence in the Tapajós National Forest, a so-called "sustainable use" protected area has, in some villages, indirectly led to deterioration of their farming system and traditional practices. Researchers from the IRD and its partners reveal that local development projects and biodiversity conservation have promoted forest extractivism, to the detriment of subsistence activities that enable the Ribeirinhos to be self-sufficient in food.

Fuente : http://www.alphagalileo.org/ViewItem.aspx?ItemId=1...