Bertholletia excelsa: Key Species for Sustainable Livelihoods and Forest Conservation

Abstract

Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa Bonpl.) is vital for livelihoods in the Amazon region as a source of income and food, and since it is collected mainly from old-growth forests, it is also a cornerstone for forest conservation. This chapter presents socioeconomic and cultural characteristics of Brazil nut collectors, depicting their production systems and identifying individual perceptions about the effects of this activity on their livelihoods and on forest conservation. We interviewed 119 collectors, organized in associations, cooperatives, or autonomous informal organizations. Collectors live from agriculture, fishing, and forest extractivism, and reported the of use more than 30 forest products, highlighting their refined knowledge on forests. On the other hand, they have little access to formal education and information technology. The collection of Brazil nuts proved to positively impacts livelihoods’ capitals, being a key species for forest conservation and maintenance of Amazonian livelihoods. Forests are plentiful in Brazil nut trees and collectors are much more likely to remain in forests, incentivizing their conservation. Moreover, the organization into associations or cooperatives is especially positive to broaden sales options and achieve better market prices, breaking historical cycles where middlemen played a preponderant role in Brazil nut commercialization processes across the Amazon region.