Importância ambiental e socioeconômica dos sistemas de sombreamento de cacauais: um estudo de caso em Uruará-PA

Abstract

The Theobroma cacao is an Amazonian tree species. It belongs to the canopy layer in the forest, it is shade tolerant and it grows well in the agroforestry system. The cacao crops began in the region of Transamazon and Xingu in the seventies and since then, the area has presented growth. Nowadays, the State of Pará became the largest producer of cacao in Brazil. The study promoted an increase of knowledge of the students of the Community School Casa Familiar Rural of the city Uruará, Brazil, known as CFRU, through the training course about the importance of the cacao production system. Along with the training course, we used the qualitative approach through circles of conversation and questionnaire to raise information over the knowledge that the students have about the importance of the trees used to shade the cacao crops. Also, this primary contact was to identify other uses of the trees, leading to the benefit to the family and investment in the properties. The quantitative approach was used in the sampling of environmental, socioeconomic, and floristic data in the properties of the student ́s families of the CFRU. The course promotes the students to understand and realize most environmental problems and that they are compromising theirs owns farms. The students were aware that measures need to be done to control the advance of these problems, and they know that too little has been done to minimize them. In the cacao crops, it was identified more than 56 species of native trees that have been planted or regenerated from the budding of logs or germination of seeds. All the tree species sampled had environmental or socio-economic importance to the owners of the land. It was observed the presence of many animal species that use the system in search of shelter or food. Among the tree species that farmers introduce in the cacao crop, most of them are Amazonian native species, and some are endemic. Some species have a risk of extinction, therefore, being part of the cacao agroforestry system, they are protected. There are water springs and igarapes being protected by these trees, which reduce the siltation caused by the floods. Completing the course, 20 tree species, that promote shade over the cacao, were selected to be part of a book, which is the outcome of this dissertation. The production of cacao by the familiar agriculture, in the region of Transamazon and Xingu, it is not only an income source but has, as well, a relevant environmental and socio-economic importance, with agroforestry features. This ecosystem, formed by the union of cacao production and the amazon trees, which promotes shading, contributes to the conservation and preservation of many species, including animals and other plants.