DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14483/2256201X.24838Publicado:
01-07-2026Número:
Vol. 29 Núm. 2 (2026): Julio-diciembreSección:
Artículos de investigación científica y tecnológicaTrayectorias de ingreso y dependencia forestal en pequeños productores de la Amazonía ecuatoriana
Income trajectories and forest dependence among smallholders in the Ecuadorian Amazon
Palabras clave:
Amazon, forest dependence, rural inequality, livelihoods, structural poverty (en).Palabras clave:
Amazonía, dependencia forestal, desigualdad rural, medios de vida, pobreza estructural (es).Descargas
Resumen (es)
El estudio analizó la contribución del ingreso forestal a los medios de vida rurales y su relación con la desigualdad en pequeños productores de la Región Amazónica Ecuatoriana (RAE). La investigación se desarrolló en la parroquia Hatun Sumaku, provincia de Napo, mediante encuestas estructuradas aplicadas a 180 hogares rurales, mayoritariamente kichwa. Se estimó la proporción del ingreso forestal sobre el ingreso total del hogar, sus determinantes socioeconómicos y su efecto sobre la distribución del ingreso. Los resultados muestran que los hogares más pobres dependen significativamente del bosque, alcanzando hasta un 68% de su ingreso total, mientras que los quintiles superiores presentan mayor diversificación hacia actividades agrícolas y no agrícolas. La dependencia forestal se relacionó positivamente con la etnicidad kichwa y la disponibilidad de bosque, y negativamente con el acceso a crédito y mayores ingresos. Aunque el ingreso forestal reduce ligeramente la desigualdad, su efecto redistributivo es limitado
Resumen (en)
This study analyzed the contribution of forest income to rural livelihoods and its relationship with inequality among smallholders in the Ecuadorian Amazon Region (EAR). The research was conducted in Hatun Sumaku parish, Napo Province, through structured surveys applied to 180 rural households, predominantly in Kichwa. The study estimated the share of forest income in total household income, its socioeconomic determinants, and its effect on income distribution. Results show that the poorest households depend strongly on forest resources, obtaining up to 68% of their total income from forest-related activities, whereas higher-income groups display greater diversification toward agricultural and off-farm activities. Forest dependence was positively associated with Kichwa ethnicity and forest availability and negatively associated with credit access and higher income levels. Although forest income slightly reduced inequality, its redistributive effect remained limited, highlighting persistent structural disparities in rural Amazonian livelihoods.
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