Printer-friendly versionSend to friendPDF version

Most indigenous communities in the Amazon aren’t threatened by food scarcity, hunger or drought as in other parts of the world. However, outside encroachment on indigenous lands as well as social changes due to increasing contact with the markets, poses challenges to the existence of the indigenous cultures and their rainforests. In addition, most indigenous communities are threatened by marginalization, and lack of security in case of illness or age.

During the last couple centuries bartering and trade have taken place between indigenous communities and highland mestizo traders. Goods such as salt, machetes, pots and shotguns from the highland towns have been traded for skins, hides and rubber from the forest. Since the 1960’s settlement of the Amazon province started up through government-supported programs, or in the wake of oil exploitation roads, which opened up the forest for settlers.

This resulted in an increase in the bushmeat trade as small jungle settlements developed into regular towns in the 1960’s and 70’s, putting extended pressure on wildlife all over the Amazon.

The expansion of markets out into the Amazon has also lead to social changes in the indigenous communities, as they have become more dependent on different consumer goods, education and health services. Until now, the only way to obtain these goods and to pay for education has been by trading bush meat, selling timber or accepting the offers from oil or mining companies.

When the project was initiated in 2001, villagers in San José de Payamino faced problems finding enough funding to pay for schoolbooks, buying clothes and other things from the town to which they had become accustomed. This had led to increased hunting and selling of bush meat to markets in Coca and Loreto. They had also been selling a few trees to timber companies (to pay for wedding dowries), as well. Gold companies were also trying to get into the area and were in operation in neighbouring Verde Sumaco area until 10 years ago.

Some of the major threats have been posed by the oil companies Perenco (France) and Petrobras (Brazil). They have bought the oil concessions in the area (block 7 and block 18). The San José de Payamino community is one of the few communities in the whole of Ecuador which have managed to keep the oil companies out so far.

Many oil companies use outdated production technology due to vague or unenforced environmental policy in Ecuador. The pollution with crude oil of the ground and in the waterways can lead to serious health problems, such as cancer among people in the forest. A study in one community found cancer rates to be 30 times higher than standard cancer rates, despite the fact that smoking did not occur in this community.

The construction of pipelines and roads leads to opening of the forest and easy access for poachers, loggers and settlers, which in turn leads to destruction of the forest and the disappearance of animals. Poaching takes place in the National Parks but not in Payamino as the community protects their land. Road construction, deforestation and settlement also increases the spread of diseases, such as malaria and dengue fever.