Camponeses, agrotóxicos e agroindústria de dendê no Estado do Pará: um estudo a partir de São Vicente

Abstract

In this masters thesis, I seek to understand how, and through which social constructs, a peasant society in Amazonia – “integrated” into an agro-industrial initiative involving the dendê palm — reads chemical pesticides and herbicides used in the dendê system, as well as in other activities. Research used “Risk and Culture” by Douglas and Wildavsky (2012) as a theoretical base, in addition to other studies on the use of agricultural chemical inputs by peasant groups in other contexts. Research is based on a case study conducted in the village of São Vicente, located the northeastern portion of Pará state in Moju county, where farmers’ crops are integrated into Agropalm’s operations. I analyzed the types of inputs used in this community, who uses them, how they are applied, how they are understood and integrated into local systems of classification. Results indicate that pesticides and herbicides are: a) identified as poison or chemicals; b) that in the past, they were not used by this peasant society; c) they were first applied to dendê and then used in other activities; d) they enter into the local classification system as something dangerous and damaging to one’s health; for example, they remain in the air and “walk” on land and into streams; e) finally, that while a discourse giving value to rules for the supposed safe use of these substances exist, these guidelines are not universal and for the most part are not followed.