Seeds of discord

Seeds of discord

Over the past two decades, the Brazilian Amazon has witnessed the establishment of nearly 100 major industrial river ports, fueled by substantial foreign investments. Amidst the key players there is Cargill who, since the construction of the first port in Santarem, the Brazilian Amazon, has faced constant accusations of deforestation and human rights violations in the Amazon. Brazil is the world's largest soybean producer, and the grain industry emerges as the second leading driver of deforestation in the Amazon, especially in the Santarem region where the relentless advance of monocultures triggered a cascade of issues, including land conflicts, pollution from pesticides, a high incidence of tumors among the local population, and the displacement of traditional communities. Cargill is now trying to build a third port in the complex of islands of Abaetetuba, near Belém do Pará, a strategic placement for international exports. In an environmental impact report, the company openly admitted that the project may cause "eventual alteration of tidal dynamics" and "interference with fishing activity," raising a wave of criticism for disregarding damage to local ecosystems and over 7000 riverine families living in the Abaetetuba islands. The project is under potential impediment due to alleged irregularities in the acquisition of disputed lands that violate an Agroextractivist area.

Commissioned and published by Sumauma.