Agrarian System of the Wayana (French Guyana)

Cultivated area and forest surrounding as a single agro-ecosystem

The way of life and the production system of Amerindians represent the accumulated experiences of humankind closely interacting with their environment over centuries. The farming system of Wayana society is based on shifting cultivation, with a characteristically high agrobiodiversity. Agriculture forms part of a complex system of activities taking place within the habitat where Wayana obtain a significant portion of their subsistence requirements through gathering, fishing and hunting. In fact, there is not a clear limit between cultivated and wild area, which can be considered as a single agro-ecosystem.