Final answer:
The exchange relationship between Lese farmers and Efe foragers is best described as generalized reciprocity, emphasizing mutual aid without the expectation of immediate return.
Step-by-step explanation:
The exchange relationships between settled Lese farmers and Efe foragers in the Ituri Forest can be best characterized as generalized reciprocity. This anthropological term describes a form of exchange where people share things with no expected compensation, resembling more an act of altruism than an exchange. In the context of the Lese and the Efe, this might involve the Lese farmers sharing their agricultural products with the Efe while expecting that the Efe will share forest resources in return, without any strict accounting or immediate payback. This practice embeds within the wider context of social and economic exchanges, where relationships and mutual trust hold more significance than immediate material gain.