Economic Alternatives and Sustainable Livelihoods
At the beginning of the 21st century, indigenous peoples of the Xingu river basin are surrounded by insatiable capitalist society fed by the burning of the region’s forests. At the same time, the Kayapo increasingly depend on manufactured goods and technology provided by outside society and obtained only with money. As with human society in general, the desire for modern technology is strong (ie. metal tools, boats, fuel, radios, satellite dishes, clothes, etc).
Amazonian Indians generally see animals, plants, rivers, and forests as the basis for reproduction of their societies, but may have no cultural restriction against resource extraction-at times to the point of exhaustion of a particular resource. When faced with no alternative sources of income or means to obtain desired manufactured goods, indigenous peoples are as vulnerable as others to offers of material wealth by outsiders in exchange for access to their timber, gold and fish: resources which are then extracted in predatory, unsustainable fashion and controlled by third parties.
Therefore, in addition to support for territorial surveillance, the Kayapo seek sustainable economic alternatives adapted to their traditional social norms and forest-based livelihoods. Sustainable economic autonomy for indigenous communities is a key strategic program area for WILD and our NGO partners.
Designed and implemented properly, small businesses enterprise that fits cultural values and directly benefits all members of the community empower communities to resist the seduction of short term profits from (illegal) logging, mining or fishing. To ensure success, we designed these enterprises around aboriginal values of equity, reciprocity and common property access as expressed in terms of local authority based on consensus. These enterprises cannot be run on western business models, which value competition, exclusive rights to resources, and centralized management authority.
Following this model, we support sustainable economic alternatives for Kayapo communities based on non-timber products such as Brazil nuts, which are a particularly good choice for conservation and development programs, because:
- Brazil-nut trees can only be grown in natural forest because their reproduction (and fruiting) depends on wild animals for pollination and seed dispersal. They are the only internationally traded product from tropical forest harvested exclusively from the wild.
- In the southeastern Amazon, Brazil nut trees are now primarily only found within Kayapo forests, as much the land outside is cleared for ranching.
- Collecting Brazil nuts is already part of Kayapo tradition.
- And, most importantly, Brazil nut enterprises align with traditional aboriginal social values. Brazil nuts are harvested traditionally by family groups from communally owned forest and all members of the community have the opportunity to participate in harvest and processing.
In addition to Brazil nut, we support development of other small businesses for Kayapo communities including art and beaded jewelry and other forest nut and fruit products with domestic and/or international markets.
