Tecendo as teias da sustentabilidade: a experiência da "Casa de Farinha Flutuante" no Lago Janauacá, Careiro Castanho-AM

Abstract

The Amazon is a region where family farming manifests itself in the most different ways. The social diversity present in Amazonian family farming requires an increasingly in-depth analysis for its better understanding. In the agricultural areas of the state of Amazonas, there are different structures and social relations of production. Lake Janauacá, divided by the municipalities of Careiro Castanho and Manaquiri, has a specific dynamic, marked by the predominance of cassava production and the various “floating flour houses”. In this study, emphasis was placed on the social organization of work and production in “floating flour houses”. For this, the production of cassava flour and gum developed by the families of Janauacá was analyzed based on the production decision-making processes, that is, to understand what limitations or opportunities lead the owners of “floating flour houses” to choose between cultivating cassava or not, producing flour or extracting the gum. The research is characterized by being descriptive. The method used was the case study. The units of analysis in this study were the “floating flour houses”, where cassava is processed for the production of flour and starch. For a better understanding of the criteria used by individuals in the choice of varieties, and understanding of the contextual aspects of the production process with its variations and regularities, semi-structured interviews were conducted. Data collection was carried out in 7 “floating flour houses” during the month of November 2021, combining open and closed questions, totaling 57 questions. The quantitative data obtained were tabulated in Excel, generating the graphs. The fluvial dynamics are an integral part of the life and culture of the residents of Janauacá, so their forms of socioeconomic reproduction reflect the direct influence of the water regime, leading to adaptive responses aimed at overcoming the challenges presented by the seasonal changes in the environment. As for the profile of the owners of "floating flour houses", it is concluded that they have a predominance of men, aged over 40 years, with incomplete primary education, all married, with three to four children, and monthly income less than R$ 1,800.00. The choice between manufacturing flour close to production sites or extracting the gum in “floating flour houses” may be related to limitations in accessing areas for cultivation and processing on upland. Thus, it can be considered that the option of families in Janauacá to produce and sell gum, instead of flour, represents a rational choice that aims to increase the profitability of family work.