Socio-economy of flood plain households in the Peruvian Amazon

Abstract

The Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve is located between the Ucayali and Marañon rivers in the lowland Peruvian Amazon, and around 170 communities in the area depend on resources extracted from the extensive flood plains in and just outside the Reserve. The present study undertook a 1 year collaboration with 38 households of seven communities distributed in three geographically distant areas. All their socio-economic activities were recorded and valued. The estimated average annual value of extracted products was US$ 1374 per household, whereas the corresponding value of the agricultural production was US$ 674. The extracted products were used for subsistence as well as commercial purposes, and the estimated average annual values were US$ 695–900 and 215–1357, respectively. Correlations were observed between the estimated values of extracted products and their local abundance, accessibility and transport facilities. Fishing was important in all seven communities and was the socio-economically most important extractive activity, constituting 43% of the subsistence value and 39% of the products sold. The commercial value from extraction of palm fruits, palm-hearts and hunting were also relatively important on the average. Measured by estimated daily incomes the extractive activities were more attractive than agriculture or day-labour (US$ 5 versus US$ 3 per day), and the highest daily incomes were provided by extraction of ornamental fishes, turtle eggs and young macaws and parrots (US$ 10–30 per day). These latter products were mostly extracted illegally from the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, and conflicts with park authorities are likely to increase.