Ritaumaria De Jesus Pereira a DISSERTATION Submitted To
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EMERGENT CATTLE PRODUCTION CHAINS IN THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON: NATIONAL POLICIES VERSUS LOCAL REALITIES By Ritaumaria de Jesus Pereira A DISSERTATION Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Geography 2012 ABSTRACT EMERGENT CATTLE PRODUCTION CHAINS IN THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON: NATIONAL POLICIES VERSUS LOCAL REALITIES By Ritaumaria de Jesus Pereira Global environmental change is a pressing challenge for the 21st century, and scientists have identified tropical deforestation as one of the leading contributors to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. International concern for the environment is reflected in the many summits designed to bring together world leaders and civil society, such as Rio +20, as well as multinational programs like the United Nations Program to Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+). Likewise, environmental concern is central to Brazil’s policy arena, especially the nation’s REDD+ program and policies that define new agrarian reform settlements, both calling for sustainable development. Finally, this environmental rhetoric is also repeated by the landless movements and is made explicit in the development plans created at the settlement level, which systematically outlines programs encouraging diversified production and environmental conservation. However, the reality is that the vast majority of settlers in the Amazon basin are engaged in the cattle economy as opposed to the green alternatives elaborated by policy. Consequently, there is an obvious disconnect between the environmental rhetoric in policies and the material practices of farmers living in the settlements. This is especially problematic because cattle is cited as the main driver of deforestation. So, not only are settlers not engaged in sustainable development as mandated by policy, they have become part of the global cattle economy and, as such, are implicated in tropical deforestation. To understand this disconnect, and the social and environmental implications, this dissertation proposes three main tasks that (1) identify the main factors that motivate settlers to invest in cattle as opposed to diversified activities proposed by policy; (2) examine how engagement in cattle has impacted smallholder well-being; and (3) identify how the insertion of settlers into the global cattle economy has impacted the contentious relationship between small- and largeholders in the Amazon and whether this has mitigated a contentious relationship between smallholders and large ranchers that has led to violent conflicts. To accomplish these objectives, research was conducted in the southeastern region of Pará State, an area that has a history of government-led colonization and development projects as well as entrenched social movement actions inspired to pressure the government to follow through on promises of agrarian reform and settlement formation. This area has also become the most important region in that state for cattle expansion. The research involved (1) interviews with households living in six selected Social Movement Organizations or SMO-led settlements, (2) key informant interviews with social movements, government officials, agronomists, and other settlers, and (3) regional data collection through available databases. Statistical and context analyses were performed to test a suite of related hypotheses. Overall, results show that 71% of settlers have cattle as their main economic activity, with most of them participating in calf production for large ranchers, and credit availability was shown as the main reason for the settlers’ decisions regarding economic activities and land use. Finally, results show that the settlers who have cattle are experiencing a better life quality and access to durable goods. However, the evidence was not sufficient to show that involvement in the global cattle economy reduced the contentious relationship between settlers and largeholders that traditionally was intense given the struggle for land in the region. To my mother Milvia Pereira, brother Jarbas Lima, and friend Karen Hudson, for giving me support and for their patience with me during the last five years. All my love and gratitude to each of you. iv AKNOWLEDGEMENTS During the last five years I had full support from family and special friends who made me more adapted to the new experience. I apologize if someone is not mentioned because I am blessed enough to have always many people willing to help me and make me smile, even when the moment was difficult. First and foremost I thank my late grandfather (Maneca) who is not here to see what I have accomplished, but who is responsible for who I am. Also, I have to mention my mother (Milvia) and brother (Jarbas) for showing me how important it is to have a nice and supportive family and for understanding my absence on special dates of our family. I also would like to thank all my committee members, Cynthia S. Simmons, Robert T. Walker, Bruce Wm. Pigozzi, and Mike Kaplowitz for their advice and patience during the entire process of my program. Cynthia S. Simmons was more than an advisor, she showed me how to better use my data and resources and guided me to have better results from my experience. Additionally, Cynthia Simmons became a friend who was always available to talk about all situations I have had in my life during this time. Robert Walker has guided me not only in the fieldwork we developed together but as a thinker during all my professional life. Bruce Pigozzi always made himself available when I needed him, and his guidance gave me confidence in the approach to my results. Mike Kaplowitz always had helpful considerations during my presentations that made my work more complete. Special thanks to the Caldas family who helped me settle in this country and made my life a lot easier here in Michigan. Without you all it would not be possible. Thanks Marcellus, Martha, Amanda, Gabriel, and Lucas. Also special thanks to Eugenio and Norma Arima and to v Steve Aldrich for being part of my adaptation and academic progress. In this process of adaptation, I am also thankful to Teri Covington and Karen Hudson, who received me into their homes and, even with all the communication barriers, made me comfortable in my new place. Some American families supported me during the time I was pursuing a Ph.D. degree, and I would like to say thanks to Mr. Henry Grayson and Mrs. Tina Grayson and their adorable children, Mr. Del Bacon and Mrs. Clara Bacon, Ms. Karen Allen and her children, and the late “Grampa” G. Albert Allen for receiving me as part of their families for several years for Christmas, Thanksgiving, and many other family celebrations. Additionally, I have to thank my fellow graduate students who helped me to make myself at home as I was still learning English and adapting to the new life. Here I hope I won’t forget anybody, as many of my colleagues who were special left a long time ago. Thanks to you all: Steve Aldrich, Ivan Ramirez, Peter Richards, Dante Vergara, Joel Gruley, Kristy Stanley, Jieun Lee, Cristina Leuca, Zeenat Karamchandni, Minting Ye, Mike Bigsby, Mike Luehmman, Meg Reed, Carolyn Fish, Courtney Galaher, Shaun Langley, Williams Castro, Yankuic Galvan, Dan Kowalski, Daniel Ddumba, Laura Johnson, and many other special people who made the work in the Geography building basement fun and productive during many days, nights, and weekends. I cannot forget all the Brazilians who I met here and made my life happier and more comfortable, and I would like to mention some of them. Thanks to Marcellus and Martha Caldas, Eugenio and Norma Arima, Eraldo and Cleusa Matricardi, Vania Melo, Fernanda Paes, Angelica Santos, Margaret Francis, Williams Castro, Cristiane Araujo, Luis Araujo, Cristiane Pereira- Hicks, Amancio Souza, Tais Nayanne, Andressa Avila, Eliane Gomes, Caio Rachid, Polli Aguiar, and Roberta and Stella de Carvalho—just to cite a few Brazilians who left or just arrived to make life more enjoyable in this part of the world. vi Not only Brazilians who had lived or still live here had supported me. Even far apart I always had support form special friends who were in Brazil cheering for me. Thanks to Lorenda Raiol, Katia Pereira, Samia Nunes, Simone Bauch, Euzi Inacio, Renata Santana, Bruno Dias, Maiara Nunes, Andrea Castro, Fatima Oliveira, Francisco Lima Filho, and many other friends who were always checking on me to make sure I was well. I would like to express my gratitude to the wonderful staff from the Geography department; you all make our days special. Thanks to Sharon Ruggles, Claudia Brown, Wilson Ndovie, Judy Reginek, and Jim Brown. I would like to extend this thanks to all professors who overcame the barrier of communication and did a wonderful job in showing me how to keep up my progress. Special thanks to Joe Messina, Cynthia Simmons, Robert Walker, Bruce Pigozzi, Morris Thomas, and Sue Grady. My gratitude is extended to the funding sources which enabled me to do the research, to participate in conferences, and to improve my ability to conduct data collection and present results. Thanks to the Geography department at MSU, the Graduate School at MSU, College of Social Science at MSU, Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS) at MSU, Inter-American Foundation (IAF), and Latin American and Caribbean Environmental Economics Program (LACEEP). Without cooperation in the field, my work would not be done. First, I would like to thank all settlers who agreed to respond to my questionnaire and received me in their homes. Additionally, I thank Social Movement Organizations representatives, Government Offices, City of Marabá Cultural House (Ms. Augusta Luz), and Third Party Technical support which made all data used in this dissertation available. Also in Pará State, I would like to thank friends from Imazon for always having their door open for me, especially Paulo Barreto, who always provided vii me data from the region.