Socio-environmental organizations and social movements from the countryside, forests, and waters, gathered in the Observatory of the Economics of Socio-biodiversity (ÓSocioBio), in partnership with the Environmental Parliamentary Front, will present, this Wednesday (22), starting at 9 am, at a hearing of the Senate Environment Committee, a document with recommendations to the next elected government.
The event's objective is to strengthen the sociobiodiversity economy and establish sustainable development as the cornerstone of Brazil's development model, as an alternative to harmful monoculture production methods. The recommendations were formulated based on guidelines that simultaneously prioritize ecosystem conservation, income generation, respect for traditional ways of life, guaranteeing territorial rights, and ensuring food security for the population.
The ÓSócioBio project aims to promote an economy based on respect for life and the appreciation of the sustainable use of biodiversity, particularly that practiced by traditional peoples and communities, such as indigenous peoples, quilombola communities, riverside extractivists, and family farmers. "The socio-biodiversity economy is one of the ways to address the worsening scenarios of climate change, biodiversity loss, water and food insecurity, and the increase in social inequalities," the document states. [See full document] here]
The recommendations address socio-productive organization and enterprise management; strengthening production and processing; marketing and market access. ÓSocioBio highlights the importance of integrating data from the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) into the National System (SICAR), which is currently lacking and threatens traditional territories. The group also highlights the need for technical assistance and rural extension for rural populations, as well as access to differentiated credit for indigenous peoples, traditional communities, and family farmers. Tax incentives, training, and research in the area of socio-biodiversity economics are also called for.
Insufficient and inadequate policies
The organizations and social movements that make up the observatory call for public policies that empower local leaders, support communities in competing for funding, reduce tax bureaucracy, and guarantee social participation and payment for environmental services.
“What we have seen in the recent period is exactly the opposite. Not only have government actions to meet this demand ceased, but territorial conflicts have intensified excessively. The development of the socio-biodiversity economy crucially depends on guaranteeing the territorial rights of indigenous peoples, traditional peoples and communities, and family farmers,” the observatory points out.
Studies on the economics of socio-biodiversity show that the market for sustainable native products is more profitable than that of other products. commodities. Analyzing only the cultivation of açaí, for example, its profitability is estimated at approximately US$1,5 per hectare managed. In comparison, soybeans have a value more than seven times lower: US$200 per hectare. According to results from the Production of Plant Extraction and Forestry (PEVS) released by IBGE, in 2020 alone, açaí generated R$694 million; yerba mate, R$559 million; Brazil nuts, R$98 million; and pequi, R$45 million.
The economic potential of a preserved environment is nothing new in science. The rational and sustainable use of the Amazon, the Cerrado, and other Brazilian biomes is worth hundreds of billions of dollars in total. These figures are still underestimated, as sociobiodiversity chains are often informal and not included in official accounts. Investment in research, in this regard, recommended to presidential candidates by ÓSocioBio, is necessary for the country to have a concrete understanding of the values of its own natural diversity.
About ÓSocioBio
The Observatory of the Economics of Sociobiodiversity brings together environmental NGOs, rural social movements, and indigenous and traditional populations in Brazil, such as ISA, ISPN, WWF-Brazil, Contag, CNS, Memorial Chico Mendes, Articulação Pacari, and others (see the complete list at [link]). creation letterLaunched on June 1st, the initiative is based on a three-pronged approach that combines Economy, People, and Biodiversity. The goal is to influence projects in the National Congress and the Executive Branch to ensure sustainability in Brazilian economic and social development, with the empowerment of traditional peoples and communities.
Service
ÓSocioBio presents a document of recommendations for the new federal government.
Hearing at the Senate Environment Committee
June 22, Wednesday, starting at 9 am.