Challenging Current Knowledge on Amazonian Dark Earths: Indigenous Manioc Cultivation on Different Soils of the Colombian Amazon

Abstract

Amazonian indigenous people grow manioc in landscapes of different agricultural potential, yet studies on indigenous manioc production on fertile soils are scarce. Non-indigenous communities grow specific manioc landraces on fertile Amazonian Dark Earths (ADE), but it is unknown whether indigenous farmers also do so. During 2 years, we studied manioc cultivation by five indigenous groups on different Amazonian soils using quantitative and qualitative methods. We found that environmental conditions, including soil quality, are less important in determining manioc diversity and agricultural strategies than socioeconomic and socio-cultural factors such as labor availability, labor organization, and culinary preferences.