Traditional Açaí Extractivism and Technological Innovation in Murumuru Quilombo, Brazilian Amazon

Wanderley Rocha da Silva (), Thiago Almeida Vieira, José Max Barbosa de Oliveira Junior, Kaio Ramon de Sousa Magalhães, Leila Sheila Silva Lisboa, Carlos Tadeu dos Santos Dias and Lucietta Guerreiro Martorano ()
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Wanderley Rocha da Silva: Doctoral Program in Society, Nature and Development, Federal University of Western Pará (UFOPA), Santarém 68040-255, Pará, Brazil
Thiago Almeida Vieira: Doctoral Program in Society, Nature and Development, Postgraduate Program in Science, Technology and Forest Innovation, Institute of Biodiversity and Forests, Federal University of Western Pará (UFOPA), Santarém 68040-255, Pará, Brazil
José Max Barbosa de Oliveira Junior: Doctoral Program in Society, Nature and Development, Federal University of Western Pará (UFOPA), Santarém 68040-255, Pará, Brazil
Kaio Ramon de Sousa Magalhães: Department of Forest Sciences, Faculty of Forest Engineering, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Lavras 37200-900, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Leila Sheila Silva Lisboa: Municipal Secretary of Education—SEMEC, Belém 66017-000, Pará, Brazil
Carlos Tadeu dos Santos Dias: Doctoral Program in Statistics and Agricultural Experimentation, University of São Paulo (USP), Piracicaba 05508-220, São Paulo, Brazil
Lucietta Guerreiro Martorano: Doctoral Program in Society, Nature and Development, Postgraduate Program in Science, Technology and Forest Innovation, Institute of Biodiversity and Forests, Federal University of Western Pará (UFOPA), Santarém 68040-255, Pará, Brazil

World, 2025, vol. 6, issue 3, 1-18

Abstract: In the native açaí groves of Lago do Maicá, in western Pará, harvesting is still performed using traditional techniques such as the peconha, which is a rope device tied to the feet that helps with climbing açaí palms. The absence of affordable and locally adaptable technologies compromises the safety of extractivists and limits the strengthening of the açaí value chain, affecting the development of a forest-based bioeconomy. This study focused on the Quilombo of Murumuru to understand the profile of local extractivists and identify which technologies could be more easily adopted in floodplain environments. After ethics approval, fieldwork involved participatory activities including knowledge-sharing meetings, transect walks, community discussions, and structured interviews. The results indicated that most collectors identify themselves primarily as açaí extractivists. Some rely exclusively on this activity for income, while others complement it with fishing or agro-extractivism. Reports of occupational risks were frequent, especially due to falls and contact with venomous animals. There was also a clear lack of technical assistance and limited access to context-sensitive technologies. The study highlights the need for institutional partnerships that support income diversification, value traditional knowledge, and improve working conditions. Strengthening the native açaí value chain in floodplain regions is essential for reducing socioeconomic vulnerability and advancing a regenerative, community-centered bioeconomy in the Amazon.

Keywords: Euterpe oleracea Mart.; traditional communities; Lago do Maicá; non-timber forest products (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: G15 G17 G18 L21 L22 L25 L26 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 R51 R52 R58 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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