When land becomes contentious: Changes in land access and tenure in indigenous communities of the Peruvian Amazon

Keywords: land use/cover change, Amazon, land property regimes
Abstract Type: Virtual Paper Abstract

Abstract

Managing agricultural land is critical for indigenous communities in the Peruvian Amazon. Not only because of the relevance of agriculture in their livelihoods; but because the expansion of agricultural land implicates the conversion and loss of forest surface. In this regard, indigenous communities in Peru have been commonly represented as sustainable users of the forest, as low rates of deforestation and a steady agricultural area have been found in their territories. However, medium- and long-term processes such as accelerated demographic growth and greater market integration are increasing the demand for arable land in native communities. As a result, recent case studies show notable alterations in indigenous land management, such as growing land use intensification and the exacerbation of land inequality. This presentation seeks to contribute to understanding the transformations in indigenous land management systems in the face of increasing pressure on this resource in the Peruvian Amazon. Specifically, I propose to analyze the main changes occurring in two key dimensions of land management: land access and land tenure at the household and community levels. This study focuses on the case of the Kichwa community of Copal Urco in the Peruvian lowland Amazon. Mixed methods are used, combining descriptive statistics and qualitative analysis. The (formal and informal) rules of access to land, land transfer networks, practices, and disputes over land tenure are among the main variables I analyzed.