Livelihood activities and land-use at a riparian frontier of the Brazilian Amazon: quantitative characterization and qualitative insights into the influence of knowledge, values, and beliefs

Abstract

We examined if smallholders that immigrated to the Amazon over the last 40 years (highway-era families) and households with historical ties to the region (rubber-era families) adopt different livelihood activities and land-use/land-cover (LULC) patterns, in four communities along the Tapajos River in the Brazilian Amazon. Using quantitative data, we characterized three portfolios of livelihood activities, each associated to different LULC. Both rubber-era and highway-era families practice a wide range of activities from all portfolios; however, families that have been in the region for several generations tend to adopt traditional activities (e.g., fishing, non-timber forest product gathering and sales), while recently settled families tend to practice agrarian activities more intensively (e.g., cattle ranching, sale of non-native crops). We then draw on qualitative data to examine some of the underlying reasons for these differences. While recognizing that livelihoods are complex systems with many influential factors, we reflect on some of the overlooked drivers of livelihood and LULC choices such as knowledge, visions of development, and the immaterial value and symbolic meaning of resources. We also reflect on how they shape intended land management choices and relate to household settlement histories. The implications for regional resource-use planning and future research are mentioned.