Territory, environment and way of life: conflicts between agribusiness and the Quilombola community of Morro de São João, Tocantins

Abstract

This paper discusses the implications of the agribusiness expansion over a quilombola community in the State of Tocantins (Brazil), considering the conflict through the perspective of the territorial and environmental dimensions and the way of life of the habitants. For this approach, the main methodological strategy was the field research, through qualitative interviews with the community members. The results show that the loss of traditional territories to the agrobusiness and the land issue are determinant to the occurrence of environmental problems (deforestation, water shortage, use of agrochemicals, disturbance to the fauna and flora), which change deeply the habits and daily life of the quilombolas.

Keywords:
Territory; Environment; Quilombola community; Agribusiness expansion; Way of life