Casa do Barú: Preserving Native Vegetation by the Sustainable Harvest of Forest Products

The “Casa do Barú” project is a Sustainable Action Plan (SAP) developed for the Climate Smart Institute (CSI), a non-governmental organization based in São Paulo, Brazil. Its goal is to preserve the native vegetation of the Brazilian Cerrado biome by generating revenue from products harvested from the forest, particularly barú nuts. The Brazilian Cerrado, South America's largest savanna and a biodiversity hotspot, faces substantial threats, primarily from agricultural expansion. Despite its crucial role in Brazil's water cycle and biodiversity, half of Cerrado's native vegetation has been lost to cattle pasture and large-scale monoculture farms.
The Climate Smart Institute (CSI), a São Paulo-based NGO, is addressing this issue through its Cerrado Circular project, which focuses on generating revenue from the sustainable use of natural resources in small landowner communities. One promising initiative within Cerrado Circular involves the extraction of barú, a native Cerrado fruit recognized for its superfood qualities. Barú trees present potential for integration into crop-livestock-forestry systems and for the recuperation of degraded areas due to the trees' nitrogen-fixing qualities, high production, and ability to thrive without the need for fertilizers.
During the barú season, local families supplement their income by collecting and processing barú fruits. However, this activity in Mato Grosso do Sul (MS) is underdeveloped, and families face challenges in commercializing their barú production. The Climate Smart Institute envisions the creation of "Casa do Barú" in Mato Grosso do Sul (MS), serving as an agro-industry for processing barú and other native fruits, with products targeted at national and international markets.
This Sustainability Action Plan (SAP) aims to explore the infrastructure needed for the processing plant, assess economic viability, formulate distribution and product strategies, and identify potential partnerships.
Speaker: Maria Beatriz Gentil Figueiredo