Supporting a More Sustainable Cerrado, Brazil

This new, two-year project with the Louis Dreyfus Foundation,Vbio, CEDAC and Coop Cerrado, launched in 2022, aims to support smallholder farmers in Goiás, Minas Gerais and Bahia states, Brazil, while improving the area’s soil quality and reducing pressure on Cerrado biome ecosystems.

The project supports farmers to form groups that will receive training on production and commercialization of native crop species, with a focus on agro-ecological practices, allowing farmers to transition to 100% chemical-free production.

Farms will be organically certified and connected with the Solidary Commercialization Network – a network of local producers that promotes valorization of local and native products produced by traditional communities, providing a platform for participation in decision-making, production planning and marketing.

The goal is to facilitate market access, enable farmers to extract a better premium for their goods (without intermediaries and with additional premiums for organic production), standardize their production and reduce costs through shared equipment, storage and logistic costs.

Expected Positive Impacts:

• Increased productivity and income through application of sustainable agricultural practices;
• Higher product market value, through organic certification;
• Improved food security due to crop diversification and consumption of native species rich in micronutrients;
• Transition to agro-ecological production by improving production skills and practices;
• Biodiversity conservation through production of traditional crops and incorporation of traditional knowledge; and
• Reduced pressure on Cerrado biome ecosystems and long-term soil quality improvements.