Bonding and Bridging Practices for Accessing Public Policies for the Local Sustainable Development of Traditional Communities in the Brazilian Amazon

Eugenio Avila Pedrozo^1,2, Mariluce Paes de Souza¹, Theophilo Alves de Souza Filho¹, and Tania Nunes da Silva²

1. Federal University of Rondonia, Brazil

2. Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Abstract: The Amazonian context is marked by its biodiversity and socio-cultural diversity. The extraction of the Brazil Nut is a mobilizing product and generates work alternatives and represents one of the main sources of income generation for the Amazonian forest communities. In this context, besides the need for specific public policies, there are several organizations that work with the processing and transformation of the nut, adding value, producing a variety of products, for commercialization at local, regional, national and even international levels. Some of these organizations, such as those of the third sector, which include the extractive industry, public agencies, non-governmental organizations, among other partners, build strong ties of cooperation that can be seen as social capital, favoring local development, which leads to the following question: What are the bonding and bridging practices for accessing public policies for the local sustainable development of traditional communities in the Amazon? The general objective is to identify bonding and bridging practices for accessing public policies in favor of the development of traditional communities in 6 Amazonian communities, each one in a different Amazon state. This is a qualitative research of a descriptive nature. The subjects are the individuals, organizations and institutions articulated in the communities. The primary data come from interviews conducted by applying a semi-structured questionnaire. As a result, it is found that communities need support for implementing their actions, which requires transition activity from a vision of chains to a broader network, based on bonding and bridging social capital, while interfacing with public policies.

Key words: bonding social capital, bridgingsocial capital, local development, extractivist communities, Brazil nut