As Catadoras de Mangaba no Programa de Aquisição de Alimentos – PAA: um estudo de caso em Sergipe

This article is about the experience of a group of women in the commercialization of gathered wild fruits through the governmental Food Purchase Program (PAA) in the Brazilian State of Sergipe. The analytical framework is associated to the debate on poverty and specific public policies for traditional communities in rural areas. The women hold a collective identity as the mangaba gatherers, based on their use of common pool resources with low environmental impact. They mobilize themselves through the MCM – Movimento das Catadoras de Mangaba, Mangaba Gatherer Women´s Movement. Although they have recently been recognized as having specific legal rights, they are experiencing the dwindling of the resources they gather, as well as difficulties in commercialization of the fruits due to their seasonality and the unpredictability of access. The research was carried out between 2008 and 2011 and involved direct and participant observations and open-ended interviews. The main results show that the PAA has contributed to increased income, consumption and self-esteem. There was a re-arrangement in their way of participating in the program, meanwhile some of their traditional practices were relegated. The program rules were re-signified and adapted locally. While growing solidarity has been observed among the gatherers, competition for the fruits has also increased.

本文聚焦巴西塞尔希培州（Sergipe）一群女性通过政府食品采购计划（Food Purchase Program, PAA）开展野生采集果品商业化活动的经历。本研究的分析框架关联于农村传统社区的贫困与专项公共政策议题的相关讨论。这些女性以曼加巴果采集者为集体身份，依托对环境影响较低的公共池资源（common pool resources）开展生产活动，并通过MCM——曼加巴果采集女性运动（Mangaba Gatherer Women´s Movement，原葡萄牙语名称为Movimento das Catadoras de Mangaba）实现群体动员。尽管近期她们被赋予了专项法定权利，但仍面临采集资源日渐缩减的困境，同时受果品季节性及获取途径不可预测性的影响，其果品商业化进程亦遭遇重重阻碍。本研究于2008年至2011年间开展，采用直接观察、参与式观察与开放式访谈的研究方法。主要研究结果显示，PAA有效提升了参与者的收入水平、消费能力与自尊感；女性群体参与该计划的方式发生了重构，与此同时部分传统实践被边缘化，计划规则也被重新解读并适配当地场景。尽管采集者群体间的团结意识有所增强，但针对果品的竞争也日趋激烈。