O cooperativismo e as trajetórias familiares: O papel da Coomar nos sistemas produtivos do Quilombo de Pimenteira, Santa Luzia do Pará

Abstract

The research aims to understand the trajectory of productive systems and commercialization practices of families in the quilombola community of Pimenteira, located in the municipality of Santa Luzia do Pará, in the Bragantina Zone of the state of Pará, as well as the role played by the Mixed Cooperative of Family Farmers between the Caeté and Gurupi Rivers (Coomar) in these agrarian trajectories. To achieve this, we seek to explore the history of the community and the cooperative within their local context, characterize the families' production systems and commercialization practices, and analyze the changes perceived by farmers to identify the cooperative’s role in these transformations. To achieve the proposed objectives, a qualitative study was conducted in the form of an exploratory case study. As research instruments, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the community, along with direct field observation, followed by the systematization and analysis of the data. The results show that there have been disruptions in productive trajectories due to the abandonment of commercial manioc flour production and the adoption of alternative income sources, such as murumuru extraction, participation in the PNAE and PAA programs through the cooperative, and açaí sales through intermediaries. In this context, the cooperative plays a crucial role as a commercialization channel for the community. The markets accessed through the cooperative have shaped some of the observed changes in production systems, such as the integration of murumuru extraction as the primary income-generating activity, the increased commercialization and valuation of agroforestry backyard crops (such as fruits and vegetables), and the ability to invest in agriculture through earned income. However, it is important to highlight the dependence on the market to which these commercial extractivist activities are subordinated, as well as the significance of diversification as a strategy for maintaining the autonomy of these communities.