O rural no perímetro urbano de Manacapuru - AM

Abstract

Urban expansion in Manacapuru, driven by legislative changes to the urban perimeter, has led to transformations in rural communities. This process reveals contradictions between what is legally urban and the real conditions of infrastructure and access to public services. Examples of this are the communities of Nossa Senhora das Graças, on the banks of the river and separated from the city by the Solimões River, and Bom Jardim, linked by the highway and 22 kilometres from the city centre. Both live with the overlap between rural practices and urban influences, reflecting the limits of territorial integration promoted by current legislation. This study analyses the process of expansion of the city of Manacapuru, considering the urban perimeter law and the changes that have occurred in the Nossa Senhora das Graças and Bom Jardim communities. The research presents the rural-urban dynamics present in the two communities within the urban perimeter, through an investigation that deals with the dichotomous view between these spaces, as well as demonstrating the reality of access to public services and examining the labour activities and economic relations developed by the residents, as well as the changes following the implementation of the 2012 law. A qualitative approach was adopted, based on fieldwork carried out in the communities. Forms were applied and direct observations were made in order to understand the socio-spatial dynamics, ways of life and transformations following the inclusion of the areas in the new urban perimeter of Manacapuru. The results show that both communities are experiencing a continuous process of transition between rural and urban, marked by contradictions and inequalities. Although both were legally included in the urban perimeter in 2012, they still face a lack of infrastructure and basic public services. The Bom Jardim community shows more pronounced signs of integration into the urban area, driven by road access and a change in the occupational profile of residents. Nossa Senhora das Graças, with exclusively river access, preserves rural practices and faces greater structural challenges. In both cases, elements of rural and urban life coexist, revealing that urban expansion occurred without proper planning and without public policies to ensure a transition.