Manioc (Manihot esculenta Crantz) cultivation is closely related to the historical formation of Brazil, particularly with small-scale family farming. This crop is still very important in the subsistence of millions of smallholders in the country - especially, in the northern regions - and plays a significant role in people's diet in rural areas. Despite its historical importance, small scale manioc cultivation has been gone through many changes in the last two centuries, which include a sharp decline observed in the regions with major economic growth such as the one in which the State of São Paulo is located. This paper analyzes the decline and almost complete collapse of manioc cultivation in the small-scale agriculture of São Paulo State between the sixteenth century until the mid-twentieth century as well as the socioeconomic, cultural and environmental factors that have interplayed since the eighteenth century, resulting in the present day scenario.
Manioc; Small farmers; State of São Paulo; Shifting agriculture; Environmental History