Result and impact indicators
The project activities contributed to the results related to the “sustainable production” component (1) of the Amazon Fund Logical Framework¹.
Below are the results of the main indicators agreed to monitor the expected direct effects.
Direct effect 1.2 - Chains of agroforestry products and biodiversity with expanded added value
- Revenue obtained by COOPER-RECA with the economic activities of sustainable use supported by the project, broken down by product (outcome indicator)
Target: Vegetable oils BRL 536 thousand | Result achieved: BRL1.5MM
Target: Cupuaçu BRL 2.7 MM | Result achieved: BRL1.3MM
Target: Açai BRL 1.8 MM | Result achieved: BRL 632 thousand
Target: Peach palm BRL 887 thousand | Result achieved: BRL 341 thousand
Target: Brazil Nut not defined | Result achieved: BRL 589 thousand
The aggregate results of the project reveal revenues three times higher than the target established for vegetable oils. For the other products, the results are at levels below the established goals. However, considering all the products supported by the project, there was a growth of more than 40% in its revenue in relation to the beginning of the project (baseline). It should be noted that the project's aggregate results refer to the period ended in 2018.
- Number of storage structures (cold room and freezing tunnel) of in natura and processed products deployed (ouput indicator)
Target: 3 | Result achieved: 3
- Number of processing structures reformed or expanded (output indicator)
Target: 3 | Result achieved: 2
Throughout the execution of the project, RECA concluded that it would be possible to optimize the investment by maintaining the cupuaçu and açaí processing lines in the same unit. Thus, two processing units were implemented (one of fruits and the other of oils) with an installed capacity higher than the three units originally foreseen in the goal.
Direct effect 1.3 - Technical capacity of small agro-extractionists expanded for the implementation of AFS and in good practices for the production and storage of products of socio-biodiversity and community leaders in project management, participatory governance and marketing strategies
- Number of individuals trained for the implementation of AFS and the adoption of good practices for the production and storage of socio-biodiversity products specified by gender (output indicator)
Target: 120 men and 50 women | Results achieved: 353 men and 90 women
- Number of leaders trained in project management, participatory governance and marketing strategies specified by gender (outcome indicator)
Target: 35 men and 15 women | Results achieved: 74 men and 44 women
Direct effect 1.4 - Deforested and degraded areas recovered through agroforestry systems (AFS) and used for economic and ecological consequence purposes
- AFS area deployed (output indicator)
Target: 300 ha | Result achieved: 315.2 ha
- Area of forest directly managed as a result of the project (outcome indicator)
Target: 3,230 ha | Result achieved: 6,867 ha
The following table shows the deforestation evolution in the last six years in the two municipalities where the project activities are concentrated, as well as the total deforested area in relation to the respective total area. In the case of the municipality of Acrelândia, it can be observed that the average annual deforestation during the project execution period (2015-2019) was 4% higher than the rate verified in the base year (2014). The same comparison for the municipality of Porto Velho reveals an increase of 57%, which reinforces the relevance of projects aimed at the protection and sustainable use of the forest, combined with the permanent performance of communities and local representative entities. It should be noted that Porto Velho is one of the largest municipalities in Brazil in territorial area and one of the most populous in the Amazon.
|
Area (km²)
|
Total deforested (km2)
|
2019
|
2018
|
2017
|
2016
|
2015
|
2014
|
Porto Velho (RO)
|
34,631
|
10,617.9
(30.7%)
|
419.0
|
388.8
|
353.4
|
309.0
|
289.2
|
224.9
|
Acrelândia (AC)
|
1,880
|
1,227.3
(65.3%)
|
20.4
|
23.8
|
6.1
|
24.5
|
15.2
|
17.3
|
(values in parentheses = % of total area)
Source: elaboration based on PRODES/INPE data.
Institutional and administrative aspects
In general, the project was properly executed and achieved the main targets established. Among the aspects that contributed to this result, we can highlight the history of RECA and Cooper-RECA with the production in AFS, which favored the consolidation of the product value chain. Through partnerships with Embrapa-AC and Embrapa-RO, RECA has sought to map the soil profiles of the region and research the potential of other products, such as “cupulate”, and the best use of products already utilized, such as peach palm. Particularly in relation to the design of the project, the role played by ATER professionals in the technical support to producers stands out, constituting an important element for the achievement of results and their sustainability. Other relevant partnerships under the project were established with the Federal University of Rondônia (UNIR-RO) for agroforestry residency actions and with the Executive Commission of the Cocoa Farming Plan of Pará (CEPLAC-PA) for the transfer of improvement technology for seedling production.
RECA'S institutional maturity was very important in supporting ABV and Aspromacre, attesting to the relevance of the Amazon Fund's support modality through conglomerating entities. Physical investments (construction of the respective headquarters and acquisition of equipment) and management training actions in these two entities, by providing them with material conditions more appropriate for the performance of their activities, were also decisive in the transfer of knowledge and experience that will enable them to future investment cycles².
Finally, it should be noted that this project stands out positively for its broader view of the value chain of agroforestry products, with a significant part of the investments made in the processing stages, complementing the activities of planting agroforestry systems.
² A video about the project and, in particular about the benefits of AFS training for the members of the executing entities can be found at http://www.fundoamazonia.gov.br/pt/projeto/Concretizing/#iframe-1
Risks and lessons learned
Two events provided a lesson in the importance of preserving some flexibility for the adjustment of the project's implementation strategy throughout its execution. The first was due to the fire that occurred in June 2015, which led to the total loss of the oil and seed processing unit and required the request for an amendment to the project. Its approval generated changes in the physical and financial execution of the project, at the same time that it motivated the implementation of safety, prevention and firefighting systems in all production units, also resulting in the training of 30 employees and associates for the formation of a voluntary brigade.
In the other case, an opportunity for optimization was identified in the fruit processing units which, after approval of an additive, modified the initial configuration of the project to benefit greater production capacity.
Sustainability of results
RECA'S trajectory, based on the promotion of Amazonian socio-biodiversity and on the productive organization of community-based family production, has been built on partnerships and commercialization strategies that value its own brand. In this project, RECA'S nearly 40 years of experience was shared with partner entities that joined the cooperative model and, as such, contributed to the sustainability of the results achieved.
Most of the actions supported were focused on sustainable production and income generation for local populations. This characteristic contributes to the results achieved being sustained over time and even expanded in the most successful cases.
However, it is important to remember that the persistent impacts of Covid-19 and the economic uncertainties associated with it pose additional challenges to the sustainability of the results of this and other projects.