AN APPROACH TO THE DYNAMICS OF THE PARESI PEOPLE AND AGRIBUSINESS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF CAMPO NOVO DOS PARECIS, MT

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between the Paresi indigenous population and agribusiness in the western and central-southern regions of Mato Grosso. The objective is to understand how this partnership, which generates up to R$130 million annually from soybean cultivation and employs around 250 indigenous people, impacts these communities in terms of socioeconomic issues, such as the self-determination of this indigenous people and the preservation of their culture. The analysis reveals that, although this unique experience of agribusiness frontier expansion has created new sources of income, it has also led to conflicts with entities such as Funai and Ibama due to the lack of public authorization for production. The creation of a cooperative and attempts to regularize production contrast with legal restrictions and the violation of constitutional rights. Alternatives like ethnotourism, funded by agribusiness, remain secondary. The methodology combined literature review on agrarian policies and indigenous issues in Brazil, and an analysis of data from research institutions and statistics. The study concludes that it is essential to implement public policies that promote the economic autonomy of indigenous communities, respecting the distinctiveness of each people and ensuring environmental preservation.