BABASSU EXTRACTIVISM

ANALYSIS OF LOCAL ACTORS IN EXTRACTIVE ACTIVITY IN THE ESTATE OF TOCANTINS

Abstract

The objective of this study was to analyze the importance and challenges of the extractivist activity of babassu in the state of Tocantins, considering the analysis of local actors. It was characterized as qualitative research, with an exploratory, descriptive approach and content analysis technique, using social representations and free words association. The data was collected through interviews with 24 local actors, in the period from November/2023 and February/2024. It was utilized an inductor term: When you hear the phrase:“Babassu extractivism in the state of Tocantins” what are the first five words that come to mind? Research data were analyzed utilized the IRaMuTeQ software, which processed the following analyses: a) lemmatization of the content matrices; b) similarity analysis, using graphs; c) prototypical analysis. The results evidenced that, in the analysis of the frequency of words (f) and the Average Order of Evocation (OME), the predominant evocations were the terms: "family livelihood" (f=18 e OME=2,6), "sustainable utilization" (f=14 and OME=2.6), "resistance" (f=10 and OME=2.8), "preservation" (f=8 and OME=2.8), "extractivism" (f=8 and OME=2.2), "supplementary income" (f=13 and OME=3.5), "meeting needs" (f=13 and OME=3.3), "sustainable product" (f=10 and OME=3.3), "no access" (f=5 and OME=4.2) and "free babassu" (f=3 and OME=2.0). Babassu extractivism represents family livelihood, but the resistance of conflicts over free access and the preservation of babassu palm trees. It is concluded that, Babassu extractivism provides livelihood and income, but there are challenges such as bans on access to babassu groves and the lack of preservation of the palm trees.