Case Studies UNDP: CARNAUBA VIVA, Brazil

7/27/2019 Case Studies UNDP: CARNAUBA VIVA, Brazil

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Equator Initiative Case StudiesLocal sustainable development solutions for people, nature, and resilient communities

BrazilCARNABA VIVA

Empowered live

Resilient nation


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UNDP EQUATOR INITIATIVE CASE STUDY SERIES

Local and indigenous communities across the world are advancing innovative sustainable development solutions that wo

or people and or nature. Few publications or case studies tell the ull story o how such initiatives evolve, the breadth

their impacts, or how they change over time. Fewer still have undertaken to tell these stories with community practition

themselves guiding the narrative.

To mark its 10-year anniversary, the Equator Initiative aims to ll this gap. The ollowing case study is one in a growing ser

that details the work o Equator Prize winners vetted and peer-reviewed best practices in community-based environmenconservation and sustainable livelihoods. These cases are intended to inspire the policy dialogue needed to take local succ

to scale, to improve the global knowledge base on local environment and development solutions, and to serve as models

replication. Case studies are best viewed and understood with reerence to The Power of Local Action: Lessons from 10 Years

the Equator Prize, a compendium o lessons learned and policy guidance that draws rom the case material.

Click on the map to visit the Equator Initiatives searchable case study database.

EditorsEditor-in-Chief: Joseph Corcoran

Managing Editor: Oliver HughesContributing Editors: Dearbhla Keegan, Matthew Konsa, Erin Lewis, Whitney Wilding

Contributing WritersEdayatu Abieodun Lamptey, Erin Atwell, Toni Blackman, Jonathan Clay, Joseph Corcoran, Larissa Currado, Sarah Gordon, Oliver Hughe

Wen-Juan Jiang, Sonal Kanabar, Dearbhla Keegan, Matthew Konsa, Rachael Lader, Patrick Lee, Erin Lewis, Jona Liebl, Mengning Ma,

Mary McGraw, Gabriele Orlandi, Brandon Payne, Juliana Quaresma, Peter Schecter, Martin Sommerschuh, Whitney Wilding, Luna Wu

DesignOliver Hughes, Dearbhla Keegan, Matthew Konsa, Amy Korngiebel, Kimberly Koserowski, Erin Lewis, John Mulqueen, Lorena de la Pa

Brandon Payne, Mariajos Satizbal G.

AcknowledgementsThe Equator Initiative acknowledges with gratitude Carnaba Viva, and in particular the guidance and inputs o Dario Gaspar Nepomuce

All photo credits courtesy o Dario Gaspar Nepomuceno. Maps courtesy o CIA World Factbook and Wikipedia.

Suggested CitationUnited Nations Development Programme. 2012. Carnaba Viva, Brazil. Equator Initiative Case Study Series. New York, NY.
http://equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/events/2012events/Book_Launch/power%2520of%2520local%2520action%2520final%25202013%25208mb.pdfhttp://equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/events/2012events/Book_Launch/power%2520of%2520local%2520action%2520final%25202013%25208mb.pdfhttp://equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/events/2012events/Book_Launch/power%2520of%2520local%2520action%2520final%25202013%25208mb.pdfhttp://equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/events/2012events/Book_Launch/power%2520of%2520local%2520action%2520final%25202013%25208mb.pdfhttp://equatorinitiative.org/index.php?option=com_winners&view=casestudysearch&Itemid=858


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PROJECT SUMMARYWorking in the caatinga ecosystem o northeasternBrazil, Carnaba Viva has introduced innovative meanso sustainably managing the carnauba tree (Copernicia

prunifera), a locally-abundant palm species whoseleaves can be used or wax production. Working with theindigenous people o the Jaguaribe-Au territory and inpartnership with the Brazilian Ministry o Environment, theinitiative has developed sustainable harvesting o carnaubatree derivatives that has underpinned conservation eortsand improved local livelihoods.

Carnaba Viva has intervened on the supply and demandsides o carnauba processing. Technical training in improvedpruning, reorestation and in-vitro seed cultivationhas boosted productivity o local producers. Marketinterventions have involved promoting carnauba treebers as an alternative to aluminum insulating plates andcarnauba wax ber belts or use in the oil and gas industry.

KEY FACTS

EQUATOR PRIZE WINNER: 2010

FOUNDED: 2004

LOCATION: Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

BENEFICIARIES: Over 750 artisans and carnauba workers

BIODIVERSITY: Carnauba tree (Copernicia prunifera)

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CARNABA VIVABrazil

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Background and Context 4

Key Activities and Innovations 5

Biodiversity Impacts 6

Socioeconomic Impacts 6

Policy Impacts 7

Sustainability 8

Replication 8

Partners 8


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4

Carnaba Viva works in the distinct caatinga ecosystem o

ortheastern Brazil, in the state o Rio Grande do Norte. The basis

the project is the carnauba tree (Copernicia prunifera), a species

palm native to the region. The palm is popularly reerred to by

he indigenous population as the Tree o Lie because o its many

alues to local people. The ruit and pit rom the tree can be eaten,

he wood is widely used in construction, and the leaves can be

rocessed to extract what is amously among the hardest naturally-

ccurring waxes in the world. Carnauba wax is coveted or use in

he cosmetics, ood, pharmaceutical and auto industries. While the

arnauba tree grows in other countries and regions o the world, it

s only in Brazil that there is enough rainall or the palm to produce

wax. The carnauba tree produces the wax to protect itsel rom

ehydration.

Adding value to indigenous resource use

Carnaba Viva supports indigenous people within the Jaguaribe-

Au territory in sustainably harvesting carnauba tree derivatives

nd in connecting to lucrative market supply-chains. Projects range

rom carnauba wax extraction to advancing new technologies.

n partnership with the Ministry o Environment, Carnaba Viva

onducts training with indigenous people to transer knowledge

elated to the management and harvesting o carnauba derivatives.

On the supply side, Carnaba Viva supports activities in pruning,

eorestation and the in-vitro cultivation o seeds, all o which

re helping to create and sustain livelihoods in one o the mostnvironmentally degraded and economically marginalized regions

Brazil. On the demand side, the group has perhaps been most

uccessul in two areas: i) promoting carnauba tree bers as an

lternative to aluminum insulating plates; and ii) promoting

arnauba wax ber belts or use in the oil and gas industry.

he Carnaba Viva initiative was born in 2004 and has the stated

bjective o transorming the processes o carnauba extraction

within the Jaguaribe-Au territory to develop a viable supply-chain

or community wellbeing. The emphasis on community wellbeing is

olistic, and is inclusive o social, environmental and cultural values

in addition to improvements in the local economy. The initi

aims to create jobs and provide a measure o economic securit

an already marginalized population. Local culture and tradit

knowledge, however, are equally important to the Carnaba

model and underpin a local conservation ethic that is essenti

the long-term sustainability o the organization. The groups vi

more broadly conceived, is to organize and educate those invo

in the sustainable extraction o carnauba tree derivatives, such

they can live with dignity, achieve economic security and contri

to the conservation and sustainable use o both the carnauba

and the caatinga ecosystem.

Environmental threats and a partnership-driven model

Carnaba Viva evolved partly in response to the gro

ragmentation o carnauba tree extractive activities within

Jaguaribe-Au territory. Architects o the program observed a

o coordination in the extraction process. A lack o communica

and coordination was leading to inefciencies in the su

chain. Additionally, growth in a number o industrial sectors

beginning to threaten the carnauba tree and local ecosystem

extraction, the ceramic brick and tile industry, shrimp arming

irrigated horticulture all had the combined eect o disloca

local inhabitants rom their land and eroding local biodiversity

sustainable extractive activities to stay competitive, and to incr

the number o local beneciaries, it would also be necessa

attract new partners.

Carnaba Viva has been successul in attracting the right combina

o partners to ensure a steady demand or sustainably and lo

harvested carnauba tree derivatives. The organization has cre

a supply-chain that links local producers with bigger markets

larger industries. One transormative partnership has been

Petrobras, a Brazilian multi-national energy company. Carna

Viva sources sustainably harvested carnauba tree ber rom

communities to produce steam transmission line coverings.

carnauba ber oers a more durable, sustainable and cost-ee

alternative to the aluminum coverings previously used by Petro

Background and Context


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Key Activities and Innovations

Carnaba Viva activities are aimed at the conservation and sustainable

se o the carnauba tree and improving the livelihoods o local

ommunities by connecting them with more lucrative and better-

oordinated supply chains. Project activities are largely ocused on

alue-added secondary processing o carnauba derivatives.

Key programme areas

One specic activity is a project called the Transer o Technology

nd Development o Carnauba Products. Under this project,

ocal communities are trained in sustainable extraction and crat

echniques, and are supported in sharing this knowledge with other

ommunities. Training includes the use o solar dryers or carnauba

eaves, which allow or aster drying and ultimately better qualitypowder or use in the production o carnauba wax. The project is

partnership with the State University o Rio Grande do Norte and

s unded by both the Ministry o Agrarian Development and the

National Council or Scientic and Technological Development.

Carnaba Viva is also involved in a related project called The Rebirth

o Carnauba. The project involves the installation o carnauba powder

processing units in new communities entering the production

upply-chain. Job creation, income diversication, environmental

ducation and local empowerment are all primary objectives. The

project is a partnership with the municipality o Ipanguau and

s unded by the Ministry o Agrarian Development and the Au-

Mossoro territory.

Another related project the organization leads is In-Vitro Production

o Carnauba Seedlings, which ocuses on cultivating carnauba

eedlings in nurseries and laboratories or tree-planting eorts

by participating communities. The project is a partnership with

he Federal University o Rio Grande do Norte. Finally, the group

operates a Fair Trade Centre, which aims to market local and amily-

evel arming products.

aken together, these projects ocus on making the carnauba

production chain work or local people. Carnaba Viva uses these

project activities to promote traditional cultural values

pride in indigenous heritage), local knowledge, social inclu

environmental awareness, and sustainable livelihood options

empower local people. The organization has managed to ta

sustainable activity and generate new sources o income or

700 people.

Fusion of modern and traditional knowledge

One noteworthy innovation o Carnaba Viva is the combina

o traditional knowledge and modern technology. Tradit

knowledge is the basis o all acets o carnauba wax extrac

and production. This is empowering or the local armers,

engenders community ownership o project activities. This knowledge, however, has been complemented by more mo

technology solar dryers or powder extraction and wax produc

shakers or powder removal, and personal protective equipm

to reduce workplace injuries. Another innovation has

wholesale improvements in local livelihoods without damaging

environment. Prior to the project, carnauba trees were being log

at alarming rates, largely or use in the tile and brick industries

success o the project has demonstrated to other communitie

viability o environmental conservation initiatives that also wo

people.


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Impacts

BIODIVERSITY IMPACTS

Carnaba Viva has advanced a market supply-chain model that

protects the carnauba palm and its surrounding ecosystem. This

aatinga ecosystem, deriving rom a Tupi word meaning white

vegetation, consists primarily o small, thorny trees that shed their

eaves seasonally. Cacti, thick-stemmed plants, thorny brush, and

rid-adapted grasses make up the ground layer. Common to the

north-east o Brazil, the Caatinga covers an estimated 10% o Brazils

and area.

The Carnaba Viva initiative provides a sustainable livelihood

lternative to the pervasive and environmentally deleteriousextractive industries in the region mining, oil and gas, brick and

ile, shrimp arming, and irrigated horticulture. Expansion o these

ndustries was leading to deorestation, biodiversity loss and the

degradation o the caatinga ecosystem. By contrast, carnauba wax

extraction does not require land conversion or the elling o trees and

o has the potential to be a sustainable non-timber orest product.

Environmental education is also a central component o

Carnaba Vivas work. Awareness-raising campaigns are targeted

t landowners and convey not only the need to conserve local

biodiversity to maintain the integrity o the regions ecosystems, but

lso the economic opportunities presented by carnauba extraction.

Campaigns highlight conservation incentives to landowners andencourage more sustainable land-use choices.

The initiative does not as yet have a systematic biodiversity

monitoring and evaluation program in place. A partnership is being

explored, however, with the Ministry o Environment and the Chico

Mendes Institute to build this capacity.

SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS

Carnaba Viva has eectively transormed the local economy. The

primary target population is carnaubeiros the agricultural wo

and cratspeople involved in various aspects o the carnauba su

chain. Currently, the initiative works with over 700 people rom

municipalities o Rio Grande do Norte.

When the initiative began in 2004, women were the primary ta

population. Beginning in 2007, the project expanded its scop

include male agricultural workers. Male and emale, all were wo

in the production o coverings made rom carnauba ber. In 2

the project expanded to other acets o the supply-chain, inclu

those specializing in the cutting o leaves and removal o po

rom carnauba straw. The initiative is currently building a carn

wax production plant in Ipamguau. Following its completionnumber o local people involved in the project will grow substan

Prior to the initiation o the project, local women making g

rom carnauba straw had little access to markets and were un

to set prices or their products. Standards o quality control

absent (again aecting market price) and the scope o the s

organization needed to address these problems was beyond

capacity o any single cluster o producers. Carnaba Viva

provided these women and many more local producers sin

with market access, bargaining power, quality control stand

Table 1: Benefciaries o Carnaba Viva

Year People Target Population

2004 50 Artisans

2005 130 Artisans

2006 250 Artisans

2007 329 Artisans

2008 500 Artisans

2009 550 Artisans and carnauba workers

2010 700 Artisans and carnauba workers

Source: Carnaba Viva (2010)


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and a proessional network. The supply chain has been shortened,

allowing local extractors and producers to sell directly to industrial

buyers.

The organization has overseen an average increase in household

ncome o 5 per cent per year, and has improved job security in

an uncertain and sparse economic climate. Project revenues have

been reinvested into community development projects, as well

as cultural, artistic and sports activities including environmentalesearch, capoeira classes, theatre, and visual arts.

mportantly, the initiative has empowered an economically

marginalized segment o the population. Income growth is based

on local knowledge and a sustainable activity. Improvements have

been observed in improved access to education, improved maternal

health and reduced inant mortality.

POLICY IMPACTS

Perhaps one o Carnaba Vivas most signicant accomplishm

has been the creation o the Jaguaribe-Au territory, securing

tenure or communities engaged in sustainable natural reso

management. The Jaguaribe-Au territory is comprised o

municipalities in the states o Rio Grande do Norte and Cear

initiative worked with the Ministry o Environment to gain o

legal recognition o the territory, which is now under commubased land management. Recognition was granted based on

high regard o the governments in Rio Grande do Norte and C

or Carnaba Viva. The organization is also active in a rang

management groups, including those o the territory o Jagua

Au, the territory o Au-Mossoro, the Watershed Committee o

Piranhas-Au River, the Municipal Council on the Environmen

Au, and the Advisory Committee o FLONA.

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Life has to be the dominant value. Public policy should be focused on the preservation of life

all of its forms, not be a form of bargaining to advance special interests.

Dario Gaspar Nepomuceno, Carnaba Viva


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Sustainability and Replication

SUSTAINABILITYroject sustainability is denitely tied to continued demand rom

etrobras. While the organization benets rom the business

elationship, a change in demand or sustainably harvested carnauba

roducts rom Petrobras would deliver a crippling blow to Carnaba

Viva.

o improve its sustainability, Carnaba Viva is investing in

mentoring programs, community mobilization, awareness-raising

n environmental conservation, and management training. The

nitiative is looking to expand to other regions, to partner with a

wider range o environmental agencies and companies (to diversiyts demand sources), to provide human resources training and to

stablish a credit line in order to nance small ecosystem-based

usiness ventures.

REPLICATION

he initial target population o the project was the communities

working in Palheiros III, or roughly 100 agricultural workers and

xtractors. Carnaba Viva has expanded to cover the wider territory

Jaguaribe-Au and now works with over 700 local people. The

nitiative has also expanded to virtually all aspects o the carnauba

erivative production chain. Eight cooperatives (or mini-ederations)

ave been created to acilitate the peer-to-peer exchange onowledge and lessons learned. Plans are underway to expand work

nto other northeastern states in Brazil where carnauba grows.

PARTNERS

Currently, Petrobras is the organizations most important partner on

he demand side o the business model.

he Federal University o Rio Grande do Norte has provided

upport with proposal writing and project design, particularly or

the Technology Transer and Development o Carnauba Prod

project and the In-Vitro Production o Carnauba Seedlings pro

The municipal governments o Ipanguau and Assu provide b

level support, both or specic projects as well as ongoing operat

SEBRAE and Cordo de Ouro have, respectively, partnered

Carnauba Viva to provide community training.


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Equator Initiative

Environment and Energy GroupUnited Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

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Tel: +1 646 781 4023

www.equatorinitiative.org

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UNs global development network, advocating or change

onnecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better lie.

The Equator Initiative brings together the United Nations, governments, civil society, businesses and grassroots organizati

o recognize and advance local sustainable development solutions or people, nature and resilient communities.

2012 by Equator Initiative

All rights reserved

FURTHER REFERENCE

Carnaba Viva website http://www.carnaubaviva.org.br/

Carnaba Viva Photo Story (Vimeo) http://vimeo.com/15960796

Video on Carnaba Viva, 2012 (YouTube)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYXjZn2KYhM
http://www.carnaubaviva.org.br/http://vimeo.com/15960796http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYXjZn2KYhMhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYXjZn2KYhMhttp://vimeo.com/15960796http://www.carnaubaviva.org.br/http://www.equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/com_winners/casestudy/case_1348150412.pdfhttp://www.equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/com_winners/casestudy/case_1348150723.pdfhttp://www.equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/com_winners/casestudy/case_1348163891.pdf

Case Studies UNDP: CARNAUBA VIVA, Brazil

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