University / Organisation : University of São Paulo, Brazil

Paper or project ? paper

Title : POLYCENTRIC GOVERNANCE IN BIOECONOMY VALUE CHAINS IN THE AMAZON: A COMPARATIVE CASE STUDY

File : Download

Abstract : The Amazon biome lost 12% of its forest area between 1985 and 2021, equivalent to 44.5 million hectares of native vegetation. The deforested areas were primarily used for agriculture and livestock, which generally did not translate into improved quality of life for the local population, who have an average Social Progress Index (SPI) of 54.59, lower than the national average of 63.29. Bioeconomy value chains are identified as viable alternatives for forest conservation while contributing to income generation and the improvement of local communities' well-being. Based on this premise, we investigated how polycentric governance contributes to the robustness and sustainability of these chains through a comparative case study using mixed methods. The case studies were conducted in the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve (RDS) and the Middle Juruá Extractive Reserve (RESEX) in Amazonas, Brazil. We applied questionnaires with 85 fishermen/fisherwomen, assessing socio-economic conditions, sustainable management practices, and collective action dynamics. We formulated key social, economic, and environmental indicators to measure outcomes. We conducted interviews with key stakeholders, such as NGOs, associations, and research institutions involved in the pirarucu value chain, which are part of this governance arrangement. Our findings reveal that multiple stakeholders are organized in various nested layers, establishing a polycentric governance system where associations play a pivotal role in orchestrating collective action. This governance model yields more robust outcomes, particularly evident in the Middle Juruá RESEX, attributed to the historical resilience of communities and institutions.