Land use changes in the Amazon estuary

The estuarine floodplain inhabitants of Amazon near Belém, Brazil, are making the transition from swidden farming to permanent farming based on palm agro-forests. The region is characterized by rapidly increasing population, proximity to major urban centres, and inhabitants who are fully participating in the market economy. These factors, however, have not led to an intensified use of labour and land. Instead, the pattern has been toward less intense use with higher returns than the previous one. A combination of factors, including social, economic, and political changes within the past two decades, the cultural patterns of the region, and the distinctive environment are responsible for the new pattern. This case study suggests that there are no universal paradigms to explain labour and land use changes.