ProVárzea's impact on regional development

Abstract

The Floodplain Natural Resources Management Project (ProVárzea) was a project executed by the Brazilian government with support of international agencies aimed specifically to implement policies for the Amazon floodplains. ProVárzea managed to initiate an exchange of popular knowledge with scientific knowledge, organizing and checking information from these two different sources, encouraged the comanagement of local floodplain natural resources, created an opportunity for an exchange of information, and invested in people, not only in institutions, by promoting knowledge via training. The project has produced a change in the paradigm that used to rule environmental projects concerned uniquely with fauna and flora, has contributed to a better quality of life in the area, has minimized some uncomfortable situations, and has strengthened institutions in their right to question and demand actions from the government.