Amapá’s indigenous communities are grappling with severe economic hardship due to a plant disease known as cassava's witches broom, caused by the fungus Ceratobasidium theobromae. This disease is devastating cassava crops in ten of the sixteen municipalities of Amapá, rendering traditional agricultural practices unsustainable and pushing many families into reliance on government assistance programs such as Bolsa Família. The situation has prompted leaders like Edmilson Oliveira, coordinator of the Council of Chiefs of Oiapoque, to voice the struggles faced by these Indigenous peoples, emphasizing that losing agricultural land equates to losing their very way of life.

Since 2024, Amapá has been under a state of emergency, indicating the severity of the impact on local communities. Reports suggest the disease may have crossed from French Guiana into Brazil, creating a public health crisis that is not limited to food production but also affects the cultural and social fabric of the indigenous populations. Cacique Gilberto Iaparrá highlighted a grim reality where numerous farmers have had to resort to government support to survive, which fundamentally alters their relationship with the land and distorts their traditional farming culture.

The ongoing crisis raises critical questions regarding food security and agricultural sustainability in Amapá. As indigenous communities navigate this challenging landscape, the reliance on federal assistance opens discussions about broader systemic issues, including the impacts of cross-border agricultural diseases and climate vulnerability. The plight of Amapá's indigenous peoples is emblematic of larger strategies needed to support such communities in preserving their livelihoods and cultural identities against encroaching agricultural threats.