Transformações sociais, lutas e identidades: o processo de trabalho na coleta e beneficiamento de castanha em Amaturá – Amazonas

Abstract

The search to understand the social and identity transformations associated with the work process in the collection and processing of nuts in Amaturá, Amazonas, from a historical and social perspective is essential when it comes to qualitative analysis and social optics. The research highlights extractivism as a central element in the construction of local identity and the economic development of the region. The foundation of the Amaturá Nut Processors Association (APROCAM) emerges as a fundamental mil estone, organizing production and consolidating a processing plant that adds value to the product and strengthens the local economy. The study also explores the intimate relationship between extractivists and nature, presenting nut collection as an intan gible heritage of great cultural value, passed down through generations. However, chall enges such as deforestation, the reduction of nut forests, and the presence of middle men in the product trade were identified as threats to the traditional way of life and the local economy. An analysis of the work forms in the processing plant reveals an organized process that combines traditional knowledge and modern techniques, playing an essential role in generating income and social cohesion in communities and the association. Finally, the study points out that the continuity and quality of the collection and processing of nuts depend on the appreciation of traditional practices, improvement in working conditions, and maintenance of a balanced relationship with the environment, ensuring that the economic development of the region is fair and balanced for the units and social agents that preserve it.