Rodent Farming in the Amazon: Experiences with Amerindians in Venezuela

Minilivestock represents a promising sector of animal production as it provides the opportunity to cope with the increasing food demand in the developing world. In the state of Amazonas, Venezuela the Amerindian communities are facing conflicts with new settlers for the use of natural resources, which is leading to overexploitation of the existing biodiversity, a reduction in wildlife populations, and transformation of the rainforest into poor quality cultivable land. Reductions in the wild populations of pacas (Agouti paca) and agoutis (Dasyprocta spp.) induced the enactment of a statute to promote the protection of the paca, the most threatened species. Although subsistence hunting is allowed to indigenous people in the current situation, its original meaning has changed, resulting in progressive depletion of the wild populations. In this context, breeding under human control of pacas and agoutis could offer a chance to local people to increase their incomes and could also represent an opportunity to reduce hunting pressure. This paper discusses the importance and role of pacas and agoutis in the life of some indigenous people of Venezuela, the realization of a rodent farming project in several Amerindian communities, and the results of a follow-up assessment carried out four years after the initial project’s conclusion. Investigation of the local knowledge of the aforesaid rodents obtained by visiting indigenous communities and utilizing participatory techniques, represented an important source of information for drawing up key recommendations and guidelines for the project. Its realization was based on the traditional knowledge and interest shown by the people. Four years after the rodent farming project ended, activity is still underway in the communities formerly involved, as determined by a recent visit to the area. This continuing activity demonstrates the suitability of rodent breeding for the communities concerned. It is concluded that this new activity could represent an example of indigenous resource management which promotes positive interactions between local people and results in long-term sustainable utilization of the natural environment while concomitantly increasing food security.