Amazon Forest Citizens:  Work, Life, and Hope in Rio Branco, Acre,

1989-2004

Marianne Schmink, University of FloridaMâncio Lima Cordeiro, UFAC/Governo do Acre

Presented at the conference on “Environmental Policy, Social Movements, and Science for the Brazilian Amazon,”

University of Chicago, November 5-6, 2009.

Introduction

• “Florestania” is a term invented in Acre to capture the notion of “citizenship with a forest basis”

• The term makes reference to the still-strong memory of the rubber tappers social movement of the 1970s and 1980s, led by Chico Mendes

Introduction

• In the 20 years since Chico Mendes’ murder, a new era of “socio-environmental” institutions and policies has swept Brazil

• The state of Acre, governed by the PT since 1999, has become a laboratory for experimentation with new approaches to development

Introduction

From rubber tappers to urban workers:

• Abrupt evolution of political, civil, and social rights in Acre

• Revitalized “locality” in a global world

• How are life conditions and perspectives changing?

Introduction

Overview of this presentation:

• Urbanization in Amazonia: Rio Branco

• Florestania policies

• Migration and transformations in labor relations

• Quality of life and urban Florestania

• Challenges for sustainable development and Florestania in Acre

History of AcreOrigins in the economic and social organization

of the rubber economy at the turn of the century: for the new automotive industry

Migrants from arid NortheasternBrazil recruited to tap rubber

History of Acre

• Territory of Acre taken from Bolivia by armed militia, followed by Treaty of Petropolis in 1903

• “Total institution” of the

seringal emerges in rubber

fields and rubber tapper identity formed

History of Acre

• Cultivated rubber in Malaysia takes over market in 1911

• Weakening of seringal leads to beginnings of autonomous peasantry

• First of many phases of rural to urban migration

• Repeat rubber boom in 1942-1945 financed by US: “rubber soldiers”

Rural exodus, 1970-1985

1971-1976: historical

turning point, linked to

military government

Expansion of cattle andmigration to Rio Brancoand out of Acre

Expansion of Rio Branco, 1948-2005

Rubber Tappers Social Movement: 1970s & 1980s

Rubber tapper leader Chico Mendes murdered in December 1988

Rubber Tappers Social Movement

• Initially focused on civil rights: literacy, labor rights

• With expulsions, shifted to land rights

• Evolved into “environmental citizenship” movement: forest stewards

International Alliances

Strategic alliances with

indigenous peoples and

environmentalists

transformed

a local problem into an

international cause

New Proposals, 1985-2008

• Rubber tappers propose Extractive Reserves; Sustainable Development Reserves

• PT Forest Government in Acre: Florestania

• Environmental AssetsPhoto: Karen A. Kainer

Political mainstream supportAnthropologist Mary Allegretti, Secretary for Amazon Coordination,1999-2003

Labor leader Luís (Lula) Inácioda Silva President of Brazil, 2002-present

Marina Silva, Environment Minister, 2002-2008

The Forest Government

• Florestania encapsulates the vision of Acre’s forest government, of sustainable development that combines forest conservation and social justice, built on local cultural history and ecology

• The concept has been one of the calling cards of recent socio-environmental policy coalitions in Brazil (Becker 2004)

The Forest Government

Initial Florestania policies:• Recuperate and expand

infrastructure to support state

policies and stimulate economy• Reduce dependency on federal transfers by

increasing tax collection and stimulating private sector enterprises (85 to 70%)

• Support development of forest-based enterprises

Photo: Karen A. Kainer

Acre: Forest-based Development

• Participatory Ecological-Economic Zoning

• Forestry institutions: SEFE; COOPERACRE

• Certified timber management

• NTFP processing

• Wood processing in

urban industrial polesPhoto: Karen A. Kainer

Photo: Karen A. Kainer

Rural-Urban Interface

• Emptying out of interior (“center”)

• Clustering on riverbanks (“margin”) and along roads

• Expansion of agriculture and cattle

• Rural to urban migration,

1920s, 1940s, 1970s

Urban Florestania

Large majority of Acre’s population live in cities

Florestania policies sought to improve their socio-economic conditions, while demonstrating strong connections to forest-based development and Acre’s unique cultural history

Rio Branco

• Revitalization of palaces, museums, parks, riverside, market: memory of “Autonomistas” and seringueiros

• Construction, widening and paving of principal streets

• Industrial District focused on wood processing and furniture

• “Command center” for sustainable development proposals (Becker 1995)

Stable Population

Years Residing in Rio Branco, Household Heads (1989 –

2004)

Mean: almost 20 years

Population of Rio Branco

• Only 20% born outside Acre

• Over half had lived in the seringal;

over 90% had lived in another city

• Personal relationships very important in migration

Proletarianization

• Jobs in Rio Branco were more likely to be salaried than those in previous

places of residence, especially

for wealthier heads of household

• Most people in Rio Branco had

previously lived in another city or town,

where it was likely that the shift to salaried employment already had taken place

Improved Living Standards, 1989-2004

• More durable houses (cement walls with composite roofs and tile or wood floors)

• Expanded electricity and water systems, schools, health posts, garbage collection (but not sanitation and paving)

• Majority access to refrigerators, televisions, pressure cookers, fans, CD players,access to radios, telephones, bicycles

Consumer Goods ownership, 1989-2004

1989 1994 1999 2004Dif.

2004 – 1989

Refrigerator 86,63 83,60 100,00 96,88 10,25

CD player NT 9,80 100,00 93,38 90,20*

Television 80,67 87,60 100,00 82,98 2,31

Fan 65,39 73,80 82,05 81,38 15,99

Radio 76,37 85,80 79,19 61,63 (14,74)

Telephone 24,58 32,20 47,51 60,13 35,55

Bicycle 37,47 43,20 53,09 45,63 8,16

Water filter 82,10 75,40 43,89 30,00 (52,10)

Sewing machine

41,77 37,00 27,60 24,00 (17,77)

VCR NT 17,00 28,51 21,13 11,51*

Car 21,24 20,20 24,28 20,50 (0,74)

Air conditioner

11,46 15,00 21,12 14,89 3,43

Neighborhood businesses,

1989-20041989 1994 1999 2004

Dif.1989–2004

Dif.1999–2004

Grocery 96,43 92,59 92,69 94,87 (1,56) 2,18

Butcher 88,81 76,15 85,24 86,48 (2,33) 1,24

Bakery 63,57 75,35 76,10 83,60 20,03 7,50

Pharmacy 67,38 53,91 54,95 65,08 (2,30) 10,13

Const. materials 35,71 25,05 37,44 57,70 21,99 20,26

Supermarket 53,33 37,07 29,22 54,69 1,36 25,47

Boutique 39,52 32,87 31,96 54,57 15,05 22,61

Shop 39,05 28,26 43,84 54,07 15,02 10,23

Market 33,57 28,46 26,03 38,55 4,98 12,52

Gas station 27,38 21,24 14,31 22,65 (4,73) 8,34

Persistent inequalities

• Significant differences between richest 10% and poorest 40% in housing quality, access to consumer goods, neighborhood businesses and services

• Linked to income differences and ability to pay for luxury goods and private health services

Future Perspectives

• Do you intend to stay in Rio Branco? 87% yes in all survey years (including migrants from all regions and all economic sectors except construction – 75%)

• Most important reasons given:-- proximity to family (30% or more)-- employment (17-22%)-- no other option (11-13%)

The urban face of Florestania

• Improvements in infrastructure, housing quality, and access to most goods and services (but persistent inequality)

• Strong social capital: family, and pride in the memory of Acre history

• Increased attention to administration and politicians,and hope for future

Few Links with Rural Areas

• People had returned anaverage of 1-2 times; halfnever

• Only 6% sent money torural areas

• Of those who had lived inthe seringal, 80% would notreturn

Photo: Karen A. Kainer

New Urban Acrianos

• The previous generation was born in the Northeast, but Rio Branco household heads are increasingly Acriano

• The population of Rio Branco is stable, and has few active links with rural areas

• A small but growing proportion would consider returning to rural areas if they received land there

Challenges for the Forest Government

• Weakened social movement

• Rapidly changing land uses

• Weak federal institutions

• Uncertain technical basis for development alternatives

• Changing and diverse

social identities

Photo: Karen A. Kainer

Articulating urban and green complexes in Amazonia (Becker)

• Cities provide basic and value-added services (environmental, institutional)

• Insertion in global and local networks toadd value to “bioproducts” and timber

• Border city networks: MAP

Florestania

• Environmental citizenship is fluid, encompassing contradictory elements

Rural/urban; traditional/modern; collective/individual; inter-generational

• Florestania banks on creating an articulated, integrated development model to bridge tensions and extend citizenship

Thank you!

schmink@ufl.edu