Effects of Public Agricultural and Forestry Policies on the Livelihoods of Campesino Families in the Bolivian Amazon

Abstract

In Bolivia, agricultural and forestry policies are more of redistributive nature, and it is difficult trying to understand the complexity of this type of production. In this respect, this chapter addresses agricultural and forestry public policies that operate in the Bolivian Amazon. In particular, we assessed how these policies affect campesinos’ livelihoods inhabiting the community of Trinchera. Our research used the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach as a multidisciplinary perspective as well as a qualitative scale to measure campesino families’ capitals. The results reveal that families possess a very high and high potential in natural and social capitals, whereas the human, physical and financial capitals are on a low and very low levels. Of five agricultural and forestry programs implemented in Trinchera, only two of them have a moderate contribution to the family capitals, and three of them have a low contribution. The human, financial and physical capitals have low values, which restricts the improvement of the families’ life strategies in the community. In order to achieve better livelihoods and quality of life, the community’s visions for the future are focused on achieving a very high and high level in their capitals supported by their natural capital. The community acknowledged that natural and social capitals are fundamental for the development of strategies and livelihoods of its families, and our study recorded that the programs currently implemented in the community do not contribute significantly in the improvement of their capitals. Consequently, we present a discussion indicating that achieving the community’s visions will depend not only on internal but also on external factors to the community.