Perspectivas do babaçu frente ao declínio da produção de amêndoas: uma análise dos negócios sociais em dois grupos no Maranhão

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the causes of the decline in babassu production and its effects on social enterprises linked to this extractivist activity. These enterprises contribute to the consolidation of a local agri-food system, generating income and preserving the cultural identity of the babassu coconut breakers, who constitute the social group of the activity and embody an innovative experience within the babassu agri-food context. These women use babassu, a native palm of the Cocais Forest – a transition zone between the Amazon, Cerrado, and Caatinga biomes – to produce a variety of items, such as oil, flour, and other foods, in addition to charcoal and handicrafts. The study was conducted in the state of Maranhão, which has a long tradition of babassu extractivism and hosts a diversity of organized extractivist groups. The collection of primary data was concentrated in the municipalities of Anajatuba and Itapecuru-Mirim, located in the northern region of the state of Maranhão. These municipalities belong to the Maranhão Amazon, a territory with distinctive characteristics that deserve to be highlighted in studies conducted within this scope. Secondary data were obtained from the Forest Extraction and Silviculture Production (PEVS) of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), referring to the amount produced in tons and the production value in reais (R$) of babassu almonds in Brazil, in Maranhão, and in the municipalities of Anajatuba/MA and Itapecuru-Mirim/MA. In addition, primary data were collected from two groups linked to babassu activity in these municipalities. Representatives of these groups were interviewed to characterize the local agri-food system, and subsequently focus groups were conducted to identify the social group’s perceptions regarding the causes and effects of the production decline on the social enterprises of the activity. The results pointed to a decrease in the workforce – mainly due to the absence of generational succession – as well as deforestation of babassu groves, among other factors that threaten the continuity of this traditional practice. Furthermore, the research revealed structural differences among the groups, such as evidence that in one of them most women do not identify themselves as coconut breakers. The study stands out for its alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), directly encompassing SDGs 1, 8, and 10, which respectively address poverty eradication, decent work and economic growth, and the reduction of inequalities.