Author Description

Ribereños, the native farmers of the lowland Peruvian Amazon region, subsist in an ecologically complex Amazonian varzea environment by practicing a highly diverse agriculture, and following individualistic agricultural strategies. A total of 14 different agricultural methods, identified as agricultural types, and the variation in agricultural strategies are described for two villages located at the Ucayali river. Diversity of swidden-fallow agroforestry on terra firme lands, and of varzea agroforestry is investigated. Ribereño agricultural diversity and variation in agricultural strategies can be explained as adaptations to the complex and dynamic conditions of the varzea. The case of ribereño resource use gives reason to question several theories that have been formulated about varzea, resource utilization.