Povos da Floresta

CONTEXT

The Acre state is situated in the South West of Brazilian Amazonia, along the Peruvian and Bolivian borders.

Indians have lived in harmony with nature until the rubber-tappers arrived, encouraged by the irrational fever this material raised during the rubber boom, which started in 1880 and decreased in 1915, due to a scarce competition after the Asian market started its massive production.

During the Second World War, from 1942 to 1945, the Brazilian and American governments signed an agreement with the intention to increase the indigenous rubber production in Amazonia, after Japan invaded Asian regions producing rubber.

The plantation of rubber trees generated a major conflict between indigenous people and migrants who came to exploit rubber at the end of the Second World War. Migrants were determined to conquer the territories and enslave indigenous people for the extraction of rubber. The indigenous who opposed the migrants were slaughtered and a high number of them disappeared or fled to urban areas.

OBJECTIVES

The Povos da Floresta project offers to plant fruit and native trees right in the agricultural land. The first phasis was launched in 2011 with the members of the Kuntanawa community, in the areas deforested by migrants, forestry and farm operators, who have already illegally deforested areas belonging to the territory of the Kuntanawa.

In 2013, others organizations joined the Povos da Floresta project :

– APIWTXA association (ASHANINKA communities):

Created in 1993, the association regroups 39 Ashaninka families from Rio Amônia. They want to create economical alternatives for the communities replacing breeding by agroforestry systems. First, the Apiwtxa experimented agroforestry systems in the main Ashaninka Indian village, then they proceeded to the reforestation of a territory on a meandering river in front of Marechal Thaumaturgo town. Here the Thaumaturgo inhabitants trained to Indian agroforestry practices. They promote an agricultural model of self-subsistence respectful of the forest and their culture, they plant trees to meet the growing demand for food of the community.

In 2007, the Apiwtxa association received the first Chico Mendes Environment Award. In 2008, the association received the Brazilian Decoration of Cultural Merit.

– YOUNG WARRIORS FOR PEACE AND FOREST association:

Created in 2012, the association groups families of 30 young trained by the Apiwtxa association. Their objectives are to value the forest and the traditional local knowledges to live “with” the forest and not “from” the forest. The project permits them to change a degraded area in an agroforestry area and create a location where association members can settle with their family and welcome every family who wants to live in the principles of sustainability development.

The Povos Da Floresta project organizes the planting of native timber and fruit trees in and around crop plots (orange, mango tree, mahogany, lemon tree…). A fruit processing unit is ongoing construction and will allow them to develop an agro-industry as well as the communities’ self-sufficiency and incomes.