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Northwest Region Development Essay

Decent Essays

During the week’s assigned reading for this course, I came across a project that was sponsored by the World Bank that involved developing land in the Brazilian Amazon (“International,” n.d., p. 16). This project, referred to as the Northwest Region Integrated Development Program, was brought into operation in 1980. The intention of this program was a noble one: to improve health services and infrastructure, and to assist migrant farming families in finding affordable land ("Projects & Operations," n.d., para. 1). On paper, this project appears to have no downsides and only benefits to the people of an undeveloped area of the world; a project that falls in line with the World Bank’s commitment to the reduction of poverty. In practice, however, this project wreaked havoc onto the people and natural resources of one of the most endangered areas of the world. …show more content…

1). This caused a land rush to precious areas of rainforest in the Amazon, and caused irreparable destruction. Additionally, Schwartzman (1986) relates that the indigenous people of these areas were forced to migrate from their homes. By forcing them to venture into unknown terrain, these people faced famine, disease and even battle against the settlers that had come for their land (para. 5). I would absolutely say that the negative outcomes of this project could have been avoided with a simple conversation with the indigenous people of the area that were going to be affected, and doing as much as possible to prevent displacement. Unfortunately, land preservation and the establishment of reservations for indigenous people came too little too late for many that were affected. From an ecological standpoint, a survey of the land and the realization of the importance of maintaining the rainforest would have prevented the irreversible damage that was caused by this

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