Citation

Soares Fortes BC, Villefort Teixeira MC, Pereira da Costa S, Wagner MH, Scotti MR. J. Rural Stud. 2022; 93: 55-66.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jrurstud.2022.05.013

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The Fundão Dam rupture in Mariana, Brazil spilled contaminated tailings across the Doce River basin reaching several towns such as Ipaba. Ibapa's agricultural and fishing activities declined by 50% due to the toxicity of sodium and ether-amine, followed by a reduction of nitrate resulting in inhibition of plant growth and biota. A settler's community in Ipaba composed of 51 families whose main sources of income were agriculture and fishing activities have abandoned their properties because the land became unproductive after the Fundão dam rupture, and the rural exodus is a current concern in the town. However, previous research has demonstrated that the remediation of sodium and ether-amine, as well as the recovery of soil fertility is feasible, enabling the establishment of the native Atlantic Forest and crop species. Such procedures are recommended to recover the agricultural production in Ipaba. Aiming at protecting these cropping areas against flooding, we propose the creation of riparian forests in the floodplains. In order to make the settlers able to properly manage their lands in a post-disaster scenario, a recovery plan for Ipaba may be implemented via nature based solutions supported by social capital actions such as agroforestry technical training schools and social association, which are shown through schemes and three-dimensional modelling.

Language: en

Keywords

Agroforestry; Nature based solutions; Riparian forest restoration; Rural planning; Social capital; Sodium