History and economy

The coast of the lower Vale do Ribeira was inhabited by semi-nomadic tribes who dedicated themselves to hunting, fishing, and periodic cultivation of "mandioca" (a starchy root that is a staple food in many areas of Brazil). These tribes had their first contact with the outside world when explorers and colonizers arrived at the beginning of the 16th century, the most notorious of which was Martim Afonso de Sousa who led an expedition of 80 men into the interior of São Paulo in search of gold and silver.

In this initial period of mineral exploration the coastal villages of Cananéia and Iguape became the two principal communities in the area whose economies were based on subsistence agriculture and fishing. During the 17th century there was a strong push to occupy the interior as colonizers had an insatiable desire for ever more gold, and the towns of Sete Barras, Juquiá, Ribeira, and Jacupiranga, amongst others, were founded along the margins of the river to support the mining trade, serving as supply stations for expeditions going further inland.

The discovery of gold eventually led to the end of the isolation of the indigenous peoples in the interior of the state of São Paulo. Due to the flow of the river between Iguape and the other villages upriver, it became a port of major national importance. However, the decline of the gold trade in the region due to discoveries in other parts of the country led to a change in the city’s economy.

With the fall of gold the region began to concentrate on agriculture and sea commerce, establishing itself as one of the most important ports in the country. Rice, whose farming was based on slave labor, became the principal agricultural product and was exported to European and Latin American markets. The growth in demand for rice necessitated an expansion of the navigable waterways to make way for large freight ships, leading to the construction of the Valo Grande Canal, which began in 1825 and connected the Ribeira de Iguape River with the Mar Pequeno.

Banana cultivation in the region beginning in the 20th century: Marcos Gamberini/ISA

Nevertheless, the fluctuations of the market combined with the rise of coffee cultivation and the abolition of slavery led to the collapse of rice production and subsequent economic stagnation. The economy of the Vale returned to subsistence agriculture, later moving to monocultures of banana and black tea towards the beginning of the 20th century. As of the 1960s road construction made the region markedly more accessible, contributing to local development. The expansion of Highway BR-116, the principal connection between the Vale and São Paulo, is still in the process of being finished. It could be considered as bringing the region forward in terms of integrating it with the nearby urban centers.

In the same decade the environmental importance of the Bay of Ribeira do Iguape was recognized and various conservation areas were created as they were considered to be fundamental to the preservation of the biodiversity of the area. These protected areas, however, ended up adversely affecting the local indigenous populations who were deprived of their land from which they made their living by farming, hunting, and fishing.
In addition to this, the area’s forests are being cut down and burned to make way for cattle pasture, rubber plantations, cacao, banana, or for valuable wood species and charcoal production, activities which became prevalent in the country beginning in 1960.

The economy of the Vale do Ribeira today

Agriculture continues to be the primary economic activity and source of income for the population of the Vale do Ribeira today. However, the coastal belt of the area is an exception with fishing being the primary occupation of the local communities whose main products are shrimp, mussels, shellfish, and fish. Yet these only account for a small portion of the economic activity of the region and are dwarfed by the dominance of banana and black tea cultivation in terms of commercial output. There are Caiçara and Guarani communities that reside in coastal areas and are primarily involved in fishing, yet they make up a tiny minority of the population of the Vale do Ribeira.

Oyster nurseries in Mandira community, Cananeia: José Gabriel Lindoso/ISA

There is a more significant number of quilombo communities (see section on cultural diversity for more information) which are mostly involved in banana production. They face great difficulties in getting their products to market as they have to deal with middlemen who often pay a fraction of the market price. However, some of the more innovative producers are finding ways to make profits from other parts of the banana plant by making artisanal goods like baskets and bags. Finally, there are elements of what could be called the more dominant Brazilian culture in the region, concentrating in the still small but rapidly expanding population nuclei which range in population from 5,000 to 58,000 people. Here one can find people of Russian, Japanese, German, Chinese, and Italian descent engaged in businesses ranging from internet cafes to motorcylce dealerships.