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Doctorate in human, economic and Regional geography
from the University of Paris 10, Nanterre (France)
1998
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Structuring process of the frontier areas
and marketing network organization
in eastern Amazonia
The study of the Transamazonian territory of Altamira
(Parб-Brazil)
Abstract, presentation of the thesis, and contents
Nathalie PARALIEU: nparalieu@aol.com
Cirad http://www.cirad.fr/
A translation from French to English by Florence Ribeiro (GREDA, France, 2002)
afloribeiro@hotmail.com
Supported by the South African Regional Poverty Network (SARPN)
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[Printer friendly version  - 2Mb ~ 11 min (30 pages)]
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This work was supervised by Pr. Hervй Thйry (ENS), and attended on November, 4th, 1998, before a Phd examination board the members of which were: Pr. JP Raison, University of Paris 10-Nanterre, and foreman of the jury, Dr. P. Lйna, IRD, rapporteur, Dr. A. Garcia, Ehess, rapporteur, Pr. H. Thйry, director, and Dr. D. Sautier, Cirad, examinor.
Nathalie PARALIEU is doctorate in geography from the University of Paris 10 – Nanterre, and a specialist in human economic and regional geography. She has been working with multidisciplinary teams for eight years in the field of research and development-based research (Inra –Sad, Cirad –Sar, Gret, Federal University of Parб-Brazil). After teaching at the University of Paris 7, Jussieu, France, she is now coordinating a French and South African Atlas Project at the HSRC (Human Science Research Council), Pretoria, RSA. She is part of the GREDA, a non-profit-organization, which supports a new developing Africa by raising consciousness of the need to develop local abilities and structures.
A copy of the thesis is available at the research department of the Cirad, avenue Agropolis, BP 5035, 34032 Montpellier, Cedex, France.
Abstract
It is possible to identify potential solutions to the expansion of agricultural zones and the socio economic problems in the Brazilian frontier by studying the strategies of local actors and the development context? This dissertation is based on a descriptive analysis of the Transamazonian territory of Altamira in the state of Parб (North of Brazil) at the regional, sub regional and local levels. The analysis points out the crucial role of marketing networks and local development strategies in the organization of frontier zones.
The analysis of marketing networks was conducted for four local products: rice, cocoa, cattle, and wood. It consists in assessing interactions among agents involved in the networks: carriers, merchants, cooperatives and producers. The success – or failure – of local actors’ enterprises and the understanding of their projects can be evaluated through the study of their life history. The analysis actually underscored elements facilitating permanent settlement of families, such as the access to markets, financial means and family networks.
Each level of analysis contributes to a better understanding of the issue. The regional level shows the importance of the products flows, of Altamira as an urban center, and of the strategies of merchant leaders. The sub regional and micro-local levels show the importance of peasants ‘ organizations as well as recent administrative units (municipios) and family networks.
The development of Altamira’s territory is oriented towards a diversification of economic activities and land use under the pressure of a new framework of social, political and economic realizations. As frontier areas develop, the suburban centers tend to hold more and more power, increasing their participation in the entrepreneurial process, which was held by Altamira. Such endogenous policies for structuring a frontier zone may arise as an answer to the problems of access to the markets and land concentration. However, the realization of such strategies depends on the protagonists ‘ willingness to set up projects for a new rural society.
Keywords: frontier area, territory, actors, products, multilevel analysis, marketing networks, socio-economic life history of individuals and families, projects and strategies.
Presentation
The aim of this thesis is to study the development of new territories. Supervised by the CIRAD, this study is based on a research, training and development project. It was supported by a French NGO, the GRET (Research and Technological Exchange Group), in collaboration with a number of Brazilian institutions amongst which the Federal University of Parб. The study mainly refers to pieces of information and data from the territory of Altamira, collected from 1993 to 1995 over four different periods in seventeen months. This work was also supported by the members of the French-Brazilian team of the agroecological laboratory of the Transamazonian territory, the LAET, which had been set up for the purpose of this exploratory study.
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| 1. |
PROBLEMATICS |
| 2. |
POSITIONING OF THE STUDIED TERRITORY |
| 3. |
METHODS |
| 4. |
RESULTS OF THE REGIONAL APPROACH |
| 5. |
RESULTS OF THE SUB-REGIONAL APPROACH |
| 6. |
RESULTS OF THE MICRO LOCAL APPROACH |
| 7. |
PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE IN THE LIGHT OF THE ABOVE ANALYSIS |
| 8. |
Selected bibliography |
| 9. |
Table of contents |
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