FROM LAVRADORES TO CRAFTSMEN: PEASANTS

Abstract

The aim of this article is to analyze the influence of a public policy program based on environmental concerns - The Income Support for Artisanal Fishermen (PSDPA) - whose aim is to ensure the social reproduction of peasants in the state of Pará. This research is based on a case study involving the following procedures: observations and interviews using questionnaires and open script questions with residents - members and non-members - of the local fishermen's colony, including both beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of the Closure Period Benefit. The main conclusions are that closure period benefit resources are directly used in both closed circuit and generational social reproduction, involving fishing and agricultural activities, as well as in the processing and trading of products. In fishing, resources are mainly used to reduce hardship and justify (self) designation as artisanal fishermen. In agriculture, they are used for boosting and expanding the implementation of shift cultivation activities. In addition, resources are used for flour-making and açai processing, combining traditional knowledge and available technology, such as machines, making processes more straightforward and efficient, as well as increasing the volume of production. In terms of trade, resources are used to promote marketing initiatives (for açai, chicken and canoes). The short-term aim of these activities is to support households, while in the long-term to provide indispensable stability to the social reproduction of peasants who carry out a wide range of activities.