CONTEXTUALIZATION

The Indigenous Lands (ILs) Igarapé Lourdes and Rio Branco, and the State Extractive Reserve (RESEX) of Rio Cautário, along with the Federal RESEXs of Rio Cautário and Rio Ouro Preto, located in Rondônia, are protected areas of great relevance for conservation, whose territories face severe pressures from illegal activities such as unauthorized logging, mining, hunting, illegal fishing, and land grabbing.

Sustainable production carried out by traditional peoples and communities plays an important role in maintaining the standing forest, while also generating income for these communities. The main economic activity in these five territories is the extraction of Brazil nuts.

However, the consolidation of sociobiodiversity product chains still faces, among other challenges, the need for production, processing, and distribution infrastructure, increased capacity of local organizations, access to new markets, and provision of technical assistance.

THE PROJECT

The Civil Society Organization of Public Interest (OSCIP) Pacto da Floresta has as one of its main areas of action the promotion of sustainable income-generating alternatives for Indigenous peoples and traditional communities, with potential for replication, in protected areas of the Amazon.

The project’s main objectives were: (i) to support the consolidation of the Brazil Nut production chain; and (ii) to strengthen productive activities related to Açaí, natural rubber, and cassava flour in two Indigenous Lands (ILs), IL Rio Branco and IL Igarapé Lourdes, and in three Extractive Reserves (RESEX): the Federal RESEX of Rio Cautário, the State RESEX of Rio Cautário, and the RESEX of Rio Ouro Preto, all located in the state of Rondônia.

In this context, the project was subdivided into six implementation components:

1. Structuring the Brazil Nut production chain;
2. Dissemination of best practices;
3. Strengthening community organizations;
4. Adding value to Brazil Nut products;
5. Complementary income alternatives; and
6. Interinstitutional coordination.

Through a set of actions within these components, the project aimed to foster activities that keep the forest standing while ensuring economic attractiveness in the protected areas covered, promoting food security and generating income for Indigenous peoples and extractivist communities, as well as encouraging productive models that preserve the forest.

Thus, the project contributed to maintaining these protected areas as territorial categories that stand out for low deforestation rates.

INTERVENTION LOGIC

The project falls within the "Sustainable Production" (1) component of the Amazon Fund's Logical Framework.

Its direct effects were defined as follows: (1.1) Economic activities based on the sustainable use of the forest and biodiversity developed in supported Indigenous Lands (TIs) and Extractive Reserves (RESEXs); (1.2) Value-added agroforestry product chains expanded in supported TIs and RESEXs; and (1.3) Managerial and technical capacities enhanced for the implementation of economic activities based on the sustainable use of the forest and socio-biodiversity.

Click on the following image to view its objectives tree, that is, how the project's outputs and linked to the expected outcomes and impact.

ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED

Component 1 – Structuring the Brazil Nut Value Chain

• Mapping of 259 brazil nut groves and georeferencing of 11,884 brazil nut trees was carried out, covering an area of 113,407 hectares of managed forest by 900 registered nut gatherers;
• Acquisition of 51 nut selection and drying structures;
• Construction and/or renovation of 13 storage facilities totaling 1,325.96 m²;
• 26 planning meetings were held. These gatherings were important moments for dialogue and agreement-making between the community, support organizations, and the project’s technical team. Key strategies for the nut harvests, inputs and PPE distribution, production estimates, and market scenarios were defined;
• Acquisition of equipment to support the brazil nut value chain, including: one 4x4 vehicle, three boats, four ATVs with trailers, and three motorcycles to assist with transportation and product flow within the communities.

Component 2 – Dissemination of Good Practices

Four workshops on good practices were held in each project area. One key activity was the introduction of drying and selection tables for the nuts, a crucial step to ensure product quality for commercial and human consumption, as it prevents contamination by carcinogenic fungi. Due to the pandemic, the number of exchange visits was reduced, and resources were reallocated to other activities. Notably, an exchange visit was held alongside the Final Project Seminar in Ji-Paraná/RO, with participation from various stakeholders in the value chains.

Component 3 – Strengthening Community Organizations

This component focused on capacity-building and technical support for six beneficiary institutions:

• ASAEX (Association of Rubber Tappers and Agroextractivists of the Rio Ouro Preto Extractive Reserve),
• ASROP (Association of Rubber Tappers of the Rio Ouro Preto Extractive Reserve),
• ASSIZA (Zavidjaj Djiguhr Indigenous Association),
• Karo Paygap Indigenous Association,
• Doá Txatô Indigenous Association, and
• Aguapé Association.

Highlights include: creation of visual identity, setup of a computer room, and accounting services for the Arara Indigenous Association in the Igarapé Lourdes Indigenous Land; development of action plans for Brazil nuts, native rubber, and açaí; and workshops on work plan development (administrative capacity diagnostics, training in associativism) and project design.

Component 4 – Adding Value to Brazil Nuts

This component included five activities:
(i) Establishment of a storage and processing facility in Ji-Paraná to receive production from the five project areas;
(ii) Layout adaptation and equipment acquisition for the Doá Txatô Association’s facility;
(iii) Support for institutional market access, enabling 33 individual producers and one cooperative with seven Indigenous producers to access resources from the Food Acquisition Program (PAA), totaling support for 40 producers. Approximately R$ 459,632.68 was accessed through the sale of around 28 tons of food;
(iv) Working capital support of R$ 100,000.00 for nut purchasing and stock formation for processing in Ji-Paraná;
(v) Organic certification of Brazil nuts in the Rio Branco Indigenous Land and the Rio Cautário Extractive Reserves, including nut gatherer registration, grove mapping, and institutional management plans.

Component 5 – Complementary Income Alternatives

Materials such as tapping knives, bowls, spouts, food, and fuel were acquired and distributed to 75 rubber tappers for latex extraction in the Rio Ouro Preto and Cautário RESEXs and the Igarapé Lourdes Indigenous Land (Gavião people). These tappers received technical assistance for transportation and commercialization, and support for accessing PGPMBio. In the 2022 harvest (July to November), 29,217.50 kg of natural rubber were produced, generating R$ 452,871.25 in income for the 75 tappers—R$ 350,610.00 paid to producers and R$ 102,261.25 to associations and cooperatives. Support was also provided for acquiring inputs and machinery for açaí and cassava production (pulping machine, freezer, sealer, brush cutter, boat, motorcycle, ATV, among others). Training was conducted on best practices for açaí management and cassava flour production, totaling three groups—two for flour and one for açaí.

Component 6 – Interinstitutional Coordination

This component aimed to strengthen the Brazil nut value chain through collaboration with key actors at local, state, and regional levels. A diagnostic study of the nut value chain in Rondônia was conducted; events were held to address bottlenecks in the chain and commercialization, such as the “Business Roundtable,” a strategic market initiative to raise awareness and create opportunities for entrepreneurs to better understand the realities of Indigenous and traditional nut gatherers in Rondônia and the Amazon. The final seminar took place in Ji-Paraná/RO, focusing on dialogue and discussions about the progress and challenges in structuring sociobiodiversity value chains, including the nut chain. The project encouraged participation in Amazonian discussion networks, such as the Brazil Nut Observatory (OCA) and the “Origens Gathering.” Overall, networking with other actors yielded significant results for the project’s beneficiaries, such as obtaining state tax benefits for nut commercialization, securing new resources for nut and rubber chains (WWF and Imaflora), and contracts with Osklen and VERT, which pay associations fair trade prices and incentivized increased rubber production in communities.

RESULTS AND IMPACTS INDICATORS

The project's activities contributed to the outcomes related to the 'Sustainable Production' component (1) of the Amazon Fund's Logical Framework.

The main indicators agreed upon for monitoring this objective were:

Direct effect 1.1 – Economic activities based on the sustainable use of the forest and biodiversity developed in the supported Indigenous Lands (TIs) and Extractive Reserves (RESEXs).

Key Outcome Indicators

• Revenue from sustainable economic activity supported by the project (raw products)
  Target: R$ 1,012,700.00 | Achieved result: R$ 5,834,983.64
• Revenue from sustainable economic activity supported by the project (processed products)
  Target: R$ 240,000.00 | Achieved result: R$ 627,631.83
• Area of forest directly managed
  Target: 170,000 hectares | Achieved result: 131,553 hectares

The initial target was overestimated, as it was calculated based on mappings that did not reflect the actual conditions of the region. Additionally, many areas used for açaí, brazil nut, and rubber cultivation overlap, which had not been considered when estimating the project’s targets.

• Number of strengthened community organizations
  Target: 6 | Achieved result: 6
• Total number of individuals trained in sustainable economic activities and effectively applying the acquired knowledge, broken down as follows:
  Target:
  (i) 900 individuals
  (ii) 315 women
  (iii) 567 Indigenous people
  Achieved result:
  (i) 1,979 individuals in total
  (ii) 582 women
  (iii) 185 Indigenous people

The training of Indigenous participants was reduced due to the pandemic and the resulting restricted access to Indigenous areas, which had their protection reinforced by National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples (Funai).

Key Outputs Indicators

• Number of native brazil nut groves exploited and maintained with project support
  Target: 100 | Achieved result: 259

• Area of açaí management with activities supported by the project
  Target: 4,000 hectares | Achieved result: 11,276 hectares

• Number of rubber tree groves exploited with project support
  Target: 60 | Achieved result: 125

• Number of storage infrastructures built or renovated
  Target: 15 | Achieved result: 13

• Number of participations in sociobiodiversity product discussion events promoted by Amazonian discussion networks
  Target: 6 | Achieved result: 32

• Volume of brazil nuts sold through new market channels (in tons)
  Target: 60 | Achieved result: 60

• Number of workshops and training courses conducted
  Target: 14 | Achieved result: 10

• Number of individuals participating in experience exchange activities related to sociobiodiversity product value chains in the Amazon
  Target: 120 | Achieved result: 62

Institutional and administrative aspects

In support of commercialization, notable contracts were signed with companies such as VERT/VEJA from France and OSKLEN. Additionally, SAVE SHOES and MERCUR also expressed interest in partnerships.

The Pact began participating in various discussion forums, such as the Sectoral Chamber for Agroextractivism and the Origens Brasil Network. It also supported the revision of the state-level Food Acquisition Program (PAA) law, enabling the inclusion of associations in public calls for proposals. Representatives of the Pact are also involved in the Brazil Nut Observatory (OCA) and took part in AnuFOOD Brasil, the largest food products fair in Latin America.

Partnerships and joint efforts were established with several institutions, including: hico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio); Funai; the State Secretariat for Environmental Development (SEDAM/RO); Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa); International Institute for Education of Brazil (IEB); Imaflora (Origens Network); and WWF-Brazil.

Risks and lessons learned

The project enabled various learnings, both in terms of management and implementation, and in practice, in the daily lives of communities and villages.

During the mapping of brazil nut groves, registration revealed that 47% of nut gatherers are women, highlighting their fundamental role in forest value chains and the importance of including them in bioeconomy projects. It was also observed that the use of technology and innovation—such as mobile phones and drones—attracted youth participation, resulting in 100% engagement of this group in the activities.

The storage sheds in the areas were built with metal structures and rainwater harvesting systems. This strategy was essential to avoid the use of Amazonian timber, increase the durability and lifespan of the sheds, and prevent deterioration caused by insects such as termites.

One of the greatest challenges in transporting forest products is maintaining the means of transportation, which can cost as much as acquiring a new one.

Sustainability of results

The main benefit of the project was encouraging the population of the Indigenous Lands (TIs) Igarapé Lourdes and Rio Branco, and the Extractive Reserves Rio Cautário and Rio Ouro Preto, to believe in the viability of generating income from standing forest. This outcome strengthened community involvement in extractive activities, promoting greater security for forest maintenance and conservation.

The project led to improvements in value chains, producer regularization, quality storage, good management practices, and access to buyers who value the forest and pay fairer prices. Positive results include: (i) personnel training; (ii) strengthening of extractivists and their communities; (iii) structuring of commercial articulation activities and participation in institutional networks, which resulted in revenues from product sales far exceeding initial expectations - especially in the case of rubber and brazil nuts - contributing to the viability of keeping the forest standing.

This shift in mindset was only possible due to continuous support, dialogue, and training in management, storage, commercialization, and business administration. Four pillars are essential to ensure the sustainability of extractive activities:
i) support in management and improvement of production quality,
ii) implementation of physical infrastructure,
iii) value addition and market access, and
iv) strengthening/improvement of organizational management.

However, there are real internal and external risks surrounding these protected areas that threaten the continuity of this transformation process, such as: the return of logging and deforestation; the lack of secure markets and fair prices for extractive products; turnover in the management of community organizations; and the expansion of monocultures such as soy, rice, and others in the region.