“Tem coisa melhor que vender açaí?”: os passos e percalços na expansão dos açaizais na várzea do Baixo Tocantins

Abstract

This primary objetive of this dissertation presents is to analyze the correlation between açaí commercialization strategies developed by riverine-peasants from Guajará de Baixo Island, Cametá (PA) and the transformation of their Production Units, with special attention given to their sustainability. The three specific objectives of this dissertation were structured as scientific articles. To reach these objectives, bibliographic research and semi-structured interviews were conducted between the months of August and December 2020, engaging 21 social actors involved in the production and commercialization of açaí in Guajará de Baixo. Interviewees included: riverine-peasant dwellers, intermediaries in the marketing process, and representatives of two social organizations, an association and a cooperative, both with initiatives developed on the island. More specifically, the first article identified the main activities and agro-extractive productions of the riverine-peasants, in order to characterize their Family Production Units (FPUs). The second article analyzed the possible correlations between the transformations in management forms practiced by riverine-peasants from the Island of Guajará de Baixo and the economic value of açaí in the State. The third and last article verified dissonances and consonances between discourses and practices related to socio-environmental sustainability, developed by leaders of social organizations, as well as riverine-peasant dwellers, involved in the marketing of açaí from Guajará de Baixo Island, in Cametá-PA. In general, research results indicate a significant influence of the markets accessed by the riverine-peasants on the diversification and sustainability of the FPUs. The closer one gets to a peasant type of agriculture, and the greater the link with short chain markets for the markeing of açaí, the greater the productive diversification of the small farmers FPUs and the better the self-management of their resource base. Conversely, the closer a corporate type of agriculture, the less autonomy one has in accessing markets and the less productive diversity is seen on riverine-peasants’ FPUs. And, in this particular case, such correlation gains significant complexity when permeated by discursive inconsistencies about the sustainability externalized as intended by social actors.