Croissance démographique, pression foncière et insertion territoriale par les abattis en Guyane française
Résumé
Abstract. Population growth, land pressure and territorial insertion using shifting cultivation in French Guiana.
Since several decades, the population of French Guiana is increasing strongly. This population has been multiplied by 8 in 60 years: 23 000 inhabitants in 1946 and approximately 200 000 in 2007. This high demographic growth is due to a positive natural balance and to the attraction that French Guiana, French and European territory, exerts on his South American and Caribbean neighbours (Surinam, Brazil, Haiti, etc). The continuous increase of population involves land pressure since the great majority of the territory, nearly 90%, is occupied by the dense forest which belongs to the private property of the State. In this context, the fact of clearing a small portion of forest and cultivate it, sometimes in a clandestine way, can become a mean of territorial insertion especially for the new arrivals. This situation is observed for example in the North-West of French Guiana where populations coming notably from Surinam are using shifting cultivation called locally “abattis” to have a territorial insertion in order to later integrate local socio-economic circuits. Fields observations illustrated by photographs taken on the ground and supplemented by supports resulting from air photographs and satellite images permit us to present this form of territorialisation and its implications on land management and territory planning. Statistics resulting from population and agricultural censuses are used to describe demographic growth and the increasing land pressure and needs for agricultural lands.
Since several decades, the population of French Guiana is increasing strongly. This population has been multiplied by 8 in 60 years: 23 000 inhabitants in 1946 and approximately 200 000 in 2007. This high demographic growth is due to a positive natural balance and to the attraction that French Guiana, French and European territory, exerts on his South American and Caribbean neighbours (Surinam, Brazil, Haiti, etc). The continuous increase of population involves land pressure since the great majority of the territory, nearly 90%, is occupied by the dense forest which belongs to the private property of the State. In this context, the fact of clearing a small portion of forest and cultivate it, sometimes in a clandestine way, can become a mean of territorial insertion especially for the new arrivals. This situation is observed for example in the North-West of French Guiana where populations coming notably from Surinam are using shifting cultivation called locally “abattis” to have a territorial insertion in order to later integrate local socio-economic circuits. Fields observations illustrated by photographs taken on the ground and supplemented by supports resulting from air photographs and satellite images permit us to present this form of territorialisation and its implications on land management and territory planning. Statistics resulting from population and agricultural censuses are used to describe demographic growth and the increasing land pressure and needs for agricultural lands.
La Guyane française connaît une forte croissance démographique depuis plusieurs décennies. Sa population est passée de 23 000 habitants en 1946 à environ 200 000 habitants en 2007, soit une multiplication par 8 en 60 ans. Cette forte croissance démographique est sous-tendue par un solde naturel positif mais aussi par l'attraction migratoire que la Guyane, territoire français et européen, exerce sur ses voisins sud-américains et caribéens (Suriname, Brésil, Haïti, etc.). L'augmentation continue de la population entraîne une pression foncière et un accroissement des besoins en terre d'autant plus importants que la grande majorité du territoire, près de 90 %, est occupée par la forêt dense qui appartient au domaine privé de l'Etat. Dans ce contexte, faire un abattis, c'est-à-dire défricher une petite portion de forêt et la mettre en culture, parfois de manière clandestine, devient un moyen d'insertion territoriale surtout pour les nouveaux arrivants. Cette situation s'observe par exemple dans le Nord-Ouest de la Guyane où des populations en provenance notamment du Suriname s'appuient sur les abattis pour avoir un ancrage territorial afin de s'insérer ensuite dans les circuits socio-économiques. A partir d'observations de terrain illustrées par des photos prises au sol et complétées par des supports issus du traitement des photographies aériennes et d'images satellites, cet article présente cette forme de territorialisation et ses implications sur la gestion du foncier et sur l'aménagement du territoire. Les statistiques issues des recensements de la population et de l'agriculture sont utilisées pour décrire l'évolution de la population et la pression foncière consécutive à l'accroissement des besoins en terres agricoles.
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