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Transcript of Case Studies UNDP: FRUTASA INDUSTRY, TRADE AND EXPORT LTD, Brazil
7/27/2019 Case Studies UNDP: FRUTASA INDUSTRY, TRADE AND EXPORT LTD, Brazil
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Equator Initiative Case StudiesLocal sustainable development solutions for people, nature, and resilient communities
Brazil
FRUTASÃ INDUSTRY, TRADEAND EXPORT LTD.
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 o Local Action: Lessons rom 10 Years
the Equator Prize’, a compendium o lessons learned and policy guidance that draws rom the case material.
EditorsEditor-in-Chie: 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, Mariajosé Satizábal G.
AcknowledgementsThe Equator Initiative acknowledges with gratitude the FrutaSã Industry, Trade and Export Ltd., and in particular the guidance and inp
o José Costa Ayres Junior. All photo credits courtesy o FrutaSã. Maps courtesy o CIA World Factbook and Wikipedia.
Suggested CitationUnited Nations Development Programme. 2012. FrutaSã Industry, Trade and Export Ltd., Brazil . Equator Initiative Case Study Series. N
York, NY.
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PROJECT SUMMARYFrutaSã has its roots in a scoping study o the BrazilianCerrado eco-region conducted in the 1990s to determinesocioeconomic challenges acing smallholder armersand indigenous communities. Alongside mountingenvironmental threats to the region, exacerbated by theeconomic marginalization o the rural communities andsubsequent over-exploitation o local resources, thesendings inspired the ‘Fruits o the Cerrado’ project, whicheventually became FrutaSã Industry, Trade and Export Ltd.
This eco-enterprise creates income or small-holder armers
through the sustainable extraction, marketing and sale o non-timber orest products, particularly native ruit pulp. The organization is hal owned by a private partner, and hal by the Centre or Indigenous Work, on behal o indigenouscommunities. The initiative has successully combinedlocally-abundant ruit varieties, traditional knowledgeo their cultivation, and modern processing and storagetechniques.
KEY FACTSEQUATOR PRIZE WINNER: 2006
FOUNDED: 1994
LOCATION: Tocantins and Maranhão states, Brazil
BENEFICIARIES: 300 FAMILIES
BIODIVERSITY: Chapada das Mesas National Park
3
FRUTASÃ INDUSTRY, TRADE ANDEXPORT LTD.Brazil
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Background and Context 4
Key Activities and Innovations 6
Biodiversity Impacts 8
Socioeconomic Impacts 9
Policy Impacts 9
Sustainability 10
Replication 10
Partners 10
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he Cerrado is a vast savanna region that stretches across centralrazil, covering an area o two million square kilometers. This area
ccounts or almost one th o Brazil’s land area. While attention is
more oten ocused on the threats aced by the neighboring Amazon
ainorest, many important tributaries o the Amazon River actually
riginate in the Cerrado, tributaries that also eed the world’s largest
wetland ecosystem, the Pantanal, which is situated on the borders
Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. Despite being one o the oldest and
most biodiverse savanna ecosystems in the world, the Cerrado is
nder threat. Over the past 35 years, the wetlands and surrounding
cosystems have been signicantly degraded and many o the
egion’s more than 130 endangered species are endangered. The
rimary threat and the driver o biodiversity loss in the region has
een land conversion or large scale, commercial agriculture. Land
onversion has not only damaged an important ecological zone,
ut undermined the ability o resident indigenous populations to
ustain their livelihoods.
Outside o the agri-business sector, much o the Cerrado is
haracterized by economic marginalization and poverty. The
order region o Serra da Mesa between the northeastern states o
Maranhão and Tocantins is particularly aected. The population in
his area consists largely o amily units living on small-hold arms
between 30 and 400 hectares. Farmers grow a variety o crops
nd many oversee small herds o domestic animals as a nancial
aety net. The majority o households also maintain vegetableardens to provide ood or their amilies, generate income and use
n traditional medicine.
Massive deorestation in the region, with accompanying loss o
ocal livelihood security, reached a crisis point in the early 1990s.
A number o local and indigenous stakeholders, including the
Center or Indigenous Work (Centro de Trabalho Indigenista) and
he Wyty-Cate Association o Timbira Communities o Maranhão
nd Tocantins ( Associação Wyty-Cate, das Comunidades Timbira
do Maranhão e Tocantins), began discussions on how to saeguard
he region against urther environmental destruction, imminent
threats to indigenous cultural survival and territorial integrity,growing economic insecurity. With only 15 per cent o indige
territory suitable or agriculture, alternative livelihood options
income streams were pressing needs. A necessary preconditio
the development o alternative income options was their align
with the non-destructive, sel-sustaining and autonomous eth
the Timbira people.
A partnership to develop local livelihoods
A scoping review o the region, conducted by the Cente
Indigenous Work, revealed widespread economic stagna
and marginalization amongst small-holders and indige
communties in the rural areas o northern Tocantins and sout
Maranhão – employment and income insecurity; lack o acce
basic services such as healthcare, education and transportation
all the standard indicators o poverty and low living standards.
Background and Context
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55
t was agreed that, in light o the deepening socioeconomic and
nvironmental exploitation o the Cerrado and the similarity o
xperiences and challenges aced by small-holders and indigenous
ommunities, any alternative approach must have the twin
bjectives o reducing poverty and promoting the conservation and
ustainable use o the region’s rich biodiversity.
hese early discussions resulted in the launch o a ‘Fruits o the
Cerrado’ project, which eventually developed to become FrutaSãndustry,Trade and Export Ltd. FrutaSã is a conservation business
enture which creates income or small-hold armers through the
ustainable extraction, marketing and sale o non-timber orest
roducts, particularly native ruit pulp. The organization has a
alanced ownership model, whereby hal the company capital is
eld by the Wyty-Cate Association and the other hal by the Center
or Indigenous Work. The venture is operated by the indigenous
ssociation. An early challenge or the enterprise was not access
o native products – as there is an abundance o marketable ruits
pecies in the Cerrado, including bacuri ( platonia insignis), bacaba
oenocarpus bacaba), buriti (mauritia fexuosa), caja ruit (spondias
utea), murici (birsonimia crassifora) and guava ( psidium arrack ) – but
he gap between local indigenous knowledge and eective business
development and management. For this reason, equal emp
was placed on conservation and business development.
FrutaSã was conceived with the intention o connecting
groups o target beneciaries – the indigenous people o sout
Maranhão and northern Tocantins on the one hand, and the sm
hold arming amilies surrounding indigenous lands on the o
The end goal was a partnership and business model based on
sustainable harvesting o native ruits. FrutaSã has successcreated twelve local producer groups, which eed harvested na
ruit into a value-adding, secondary processing supply chain.
FrutaSã also established a ruit pulp actory, which serves
processing centre and clearing house or ruit harvested
collected by small-holders and indigenous people. This allow
local population to generate income to meet the basic consump
needs o their amilies, while simultaneously protecting the reg
biodiversity. By closing the gap on the supply chain between
producers and the market, and by providing value-adding, secon
processing or a previously undervalued and underutilized reso
FrutaSã has helped to mitigate deorestation in the region.
“Enterprises following a solidarity economy model directly and purposefully integrate marginalize
segments of the population that do not have the technical or educational qualifications to rai
their income level by conventional means of urban employment. Their only alternative source
income still lies in the agricultural sector, the only sector they are familiar with.”
José Costa Ayres Junior, FrutaSã
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Key Activities and Innovations
A rst step in the evolution o this joint venture was to undertake
rapid, participatory rural assessment to ormally explore the
conomic and commercial potential o locally-available natural
esources in the communities o the Serra da Mesa region. Based on
he ndings o this assessment, a develop plan or the use o natural
esources and agro-extractive activities in the region was drated
with a strong emphasis on ruit production. The objective was then
our-old:
To produce and distribute the seedlings o native and exotic
ruit species to local communities;
. To populate productive areas with ruit trees to enable and
enhance the participation o local indigenous communities in aruit pulp supply chain;
i. To disseminate knowledge on agro-extractive practices to
participating communities, emphasizing local ownership and
the application o traditional knowledge; and
v. To organize the production and marketing o Cerrado ruit
products, ensuring that proper incentives were in place.
Facilitating collective action
he very rst challenge in the FrutaSã approach was to create a
model o joint production which would bring together socially and
thnically diverse groups, all with dierent technical capacities and
xpertise. This challenge was perhaps overshadowed by the acthat FrutaSã was one o the rst organizations o its kind, designed
o saeguard the survival o the Timbira people’s culture and identity
hrough sustainable business. It was a common commitment to the
eense o the Cerrado environment and the Timbira territory that
ltimately acilitated the ormation o producers associations and
heir integration into a ormal network overseen by FrutaSã. Another
actor that allowed the business to evolve, and bolstered community
olidarity, was that FrutaSã oered a sustainable income generation
model that did not rely (at least primarily) on state support or
xternal donations. The business was based on a sel-sustaining
and autonomous economic activity, one which drew heavil
local indigenous knowledge and locally-available natural resou
that were undervalued in local markets. The independence
sel-suciency were empowering, and ostered a shared identi
which collective action could be based.
A purchasing policy that promotes stability
Another actor contributing to the community solidarity w
underpins the FrutaSã business model is a purchasing policy b
on long-term agreements. Compared to other companies in the
production supply chain, FrutaSã oers slightly lower prices pe
o ruit, but guarantees the purchase o the entire harvest rom producers. Other buyers oer prices between ten and 15 per
higher, but also have predetermined ruit quotas. Once these qu
are reached, their relationships with local producers end. FrutaS
the other hand, develops purchasing policies with local produce
buy all o their produce. This approach ultimately provides loca
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7
roducers with greater certainty that there will be a buyer or their
roduce, and removes the uncertainty o inconsistent demands
nd fuctuations in the market. FrutaSã employs an outreach ocer
who travels to small-hold arms, establishing relationships with local
uppliers and drawing up contracts to cement this arrangement.
rutaSã is engaged in an ongoing cycle o local monitoring, outreach
nd evaluation. With each new crop o native ruit production,
epresentatives o the organization travel to rural communities toxplore the potential o the coming harvest, secure ruit purchasing
ontracts, buy ruit, and oster and maintain the relationships that
make the supply chain possible. Through this process, FrutaSã
s also able to obtain up-to-date inormation on the state o the
orest, mapping burning and clear-cutting and documenting rainall
atterns, and to undertake ongoing needs assessments o producer
amilies. This inormation is then stored in a centralized database,
where it can be processed and analyzed to inorm FrutaSã priorities
nd action areas.
Transorming the local market
ince it oundation, the business has ostered an appetite in the
market or locally-produced native ruits. While these same varieties
ruit were widely available in the past, small armers did not have
a consistent market or a coordinating entity to prioritize their n
and interests. This shit has altered both the local economy and
ruit production supply chain. In the case o bacuri, the price pa
local producers (per thousand units) increased rom BRL 40 (Braz
reais) in 2001 to BRL 120 in 2006. Cajá, a ruit that previously se
as low-value ood or cattle, was transormed into a market
high-value commodity. FrutaSã activities have had similar e
in commercializing locally-produced araca guava, tamarind, m
and juçara.
The organization has also been active in providing local prod
organizations (the suppliers) with guidelines on best pra
in hygiene, harvesting and storage. In addition to making
produce more marketable by establishing production stand
this guidance has served to signicantly reduce loss o produce
to rotting, ungi and insects. In the case o cajá ruit, or exam
local producers have been trained to clean the ground beneath
trees and to lay out a ground buer o tarps or straw mats to cus
the ruit when it alls, and to reduce contamination associ
with soil contact during the rainy season. Similar training has b
provided to local bacuri producers, who have been supporte
the construction o hand-built protective ‘ruit tree balconies’, w
allow armers to pack picked ruit immediately, avoiding d
contact with the ground.
“Once environmentally sustainable businesses are supported to reach their full potential – an
active support from government and many stakeholders is absolutely essential – these economie
can achieve comparatively high gains and have a reduced impact on the environment”
José Costa Ayres Junior, FrutaSã
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Impacts
BIODIVERSITY IMPACTS
ew regions in Brazil, with the exception o the Atlantic Forest, have
experienced worse environmental degradation or decline rom land
onversion and deorestation than the Cerrado. Mining, intensive
and use or grain and soy cultivation, logging, livestock rearing, and
ow-tech, short-sighted development projects have been the norm
n the Cerrado since the 1970s. These development choices had
devastating impacts on the region’s biodiversity.
The region covering the south o Maranhão and northern Tocantins,
nd containing the highest concentration o native ruit trees such
s bacuri, hog plum, palm, juçara, bacaba, and pequi, is in highdemand by agribusinesses or land conversion or monocultures,
notably soy. Land conversion and the steady incursion o paved
oads and transportation inrastructure have caused widespread
deorestation. Smallholders are being orced to sell their land, which
has had distressing impacts on traditional amily arms, local incomes
nd local biodiversity. The removal o vegetation and orest cover
or monoculture plantations has cause soil erosion, the siltation o
ivers, and ground water contamination rom the use o pesticides
nd chemical ertilizers. As habitats are lost, endemic animal species
re becoming threatened and endangered.
ncentivizing the protection o biodiversity
rutaSã has managed to have a considerable impact on biodiversity
n the Cerrado by promoting the sustainable cultivation o native
ruit trees, and the conservation o the agro-ecosystems in which
hey grow. Many o the primary drivers o deorestation in the region
have been mitigated since the project began. Clear-cutting in areas
hat hold ruit trees has been reduced signicantly and orest res
nd annual burnings in these same ecosystems have reduced
drastically. These changes coincide with major developments in
Brazilian orest laws and stepping up o orest law enorcement, but
he reorientation o the local economy to properly value native ruit
trees has complemented this and urther incentivizes the prote
o standing orests and healthy orest ecosystems. Where slash
burn agriculture was previously quite common during perio
drought, in order to renew pasture lands or a second season,
producers are now more concerned with protecting ruit-be
areas.
Beyond being a source o local ood security, and beyond
value to the local economy, ruit trees are also an essential li
the natural ood chain. The local orests, in which over 58 sp
o known ruit trees native to the Cerrado are cultivated, hou
unique abundance and diversity o fora and auna. A numb
endangered and threatened species’ habitats have been proteas a result o reduced deorestation. Among the species regu
encountered by local armers are armadillos, deer, paca (cuni
paca), agouti (dasyprocta azarae), jaguar ( panthera onca) and
maned wol (chrysocyon brachyurus).
The conservation and reorestation o ruit-bearing trees typ
ound in the orest foodplains – cajá, juçara and buriti –
ensures the protection o alluvial sites that are essential or hea
unctioning ecosystems. Planting ruit trees enables the small-
medium-sized tributaries o the Tocantins River to provide
water year round by serving as a riparian buer. This practice
come under threat in recent years with the allocation o lan
eucalyptus plantations and wood pulp production. Eucalyptussoy plantations require a disproportionate amount o water,
oten lead to the draining o food plains. FrutaSã has been act
advocating or the protection o ruit-bearing tree areas.
In those areas containing bacuri and cajá trees, where pos
biodiversity impacts are clearly visible, it is clear that protec
orests and planting native tree species makes good business s
Not only does it enable ongoing economic activity, but it
acilitates the provision o ecosystem services that are essent
local wellbeing.
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SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS
Economic activity in the region has been dominated in recent
decades by livestock rearing and large-scale monocultures such as
oy beans. Large-scale commercial interests have also shaped the
ocal and regional economy through extractive industries such as
mining and logging. Neither monocultures nor large-scale extractive
ndustries are the economic domain o smallholders or indigenous
communities, but their presence and ultimate predominance havehad major implications or local livelihood options, incomes, land
enure and economic and environmental security. First and oremost,
mallholders in the region have been tempted, or even coerced, into
elling their property to these larger scale interests. Economically
marginalized armers with ew livelihood options are oten orced to
ell their land to make ends meet. Without access to the mechanized
ools o modern agriculture, it is dicult to compete in the market
or cash crops.
FrutaSã has tapped into a market gap that empowers small-scale
armers to retain their land and engage in a sustainable income
generating activity that draws rom local knowledge and widely
available, low-input natural resources. The business has created a
market or the ruits which make excellent raw materials or juice,
ce cream, oils, sweets, cakes and more. Buriti, or example, is used
ocally or its oil and pulp and is used to make dough or cakes and
weets. Bacaba pulp is used or juices and four, while murici and
assai are used to make juices and ice creams.
Through a comprehensive easibility study, FrutaSã determined that
he sustainable harvesting o these ruits on a local scale had very high
potential or positive environmental and developmental impacts.
Tapping this market, however, was dependent on inormation and
knowledge dissemination amongst local armers, and eective
communication o the economic, social and environmentalncentives. To assist in this, FrutaSã has helped mobilize twelve
ocal producer organizations, which link local armers and promote
ustainable ruit harvesting activities across the region.
People-centered business
By purchasing raw materials rom local armers or the production
o ruit pulp, FrutaSã has created a development alternative or
he local and indigenous population o the Cerrado. Participating
communities receive an income, as well as support and advice on
ustainable extraction techniques, ruit processing and storage,
and youth involvement and leadership. More than 300 amilies
are now actively involved in sustainable harvesting activities. Thencreased number o communities sustainably harvesting ruit has
not only resulted in increased incomes, but also provided or local
ood security. Furthermore, with economic security and a viable
ivelihood alternative, these small-hold armers have been able to
emain on their lands, and together orm a corridor o protected
ndigenous territory.
FrutaSã ollows a business model that is heavily infuenced by the
Solidarity Economy (Economia Solidária) movement, which has
grown in popularity since the 1980s. The movement emphasizes
ghting social inequalities and poverty by allowing all mem
o a community to participate in the equitable sharing o ben
that arise rom a socially or environmentally sustainable busi
As such, FrutaSã is not singularly ocused on prot margins
is committed to having a positive impact on the lives o over
amilies that comprise its primary beneciaries.
FrutaSã is committed not only to paying local producers air
consistent prices or harvested ruit, but also to establishing lasrelationships built on trust, condence and security. The Fru
purchasing policy o long-term agreements – the guaran
purchase o an entire harvest rom local producers, as oppose
the industry standard o purchase quotas – provides local produ
with greater certainty that the ruits o their labor will have a ma
reduces levels o waste and ruit loss during the production pro
and guarantees stable and consistent incomes or participa
communities.
An equally important socioeconomic impact, and the ounda
o the FrutaSã model, has been the transormation o the ma
supply chain or ruit in a way that has both empowered
producers and added value to a previously undervalued reso
Several o the ruit types that are now sourced through FrutaSã
widely in local ecosystems, but did not previously have a mark
a demand. FrutaSã has successully generated a market or ruit
was previously undervalued (such as bacuri), and in some cas
demand or ruit that was entirely disregarded previously (as
been the case with cajá). A typical amily with ve members can
up to USD 1,875.00 in one bacuri harvest, which requires rough
days o labor. This is a substantial increase in income or amilies
otherwise traditionally relied on cattle arming.
POLICY IMPACTSFrutaSã has been active in advocating or policy changes to be
local and indigenous communities and the local environmen
one example o its leadership in this space, FrutaSã led call
the establishment o a National Park in southern Maranhão.
extensive lobbying eorts with other partners, the 160,000 hec
Chapada das Mesas National Park was established in 2005.
Additionally, FrutaSã played an important role in the lau
and coordination o an ultimately unsuccessul ght against
construction o a hydro-electric dam in Estreito. The organiza
assumed a role in community mobilization, and alerted
local population to the risks and environmental impacts development project posed. In the wake o the fooding cause
the hydroelectric plant, and presumably in recognition o Frut
advocacy eorts, the group was cited by the Ministry o Environ
as being an essential agent in repairing the damage suered i
ruit-bearing areas. The aected area included a region holding
highest concentration o bacuri trees.
9
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Sustainability and Replication
SUSTAINABILITYrutaSã is the largest manuacturer o native ruit pulp in Maranhão,
nd is one o the ew enterprises o its kind in Brazil that is owned and
perated by indigenous people. Consumers are aware that FrutaSã
roducts are made rom raw materials sourced rom small-scale
armers and indigenous communities. This dierentiates its products
n the market and gives it an identity unique and distinguishable
rom other ruit pulp brands. Social and environmental responsibility
s a pillar o the brand’s resonance and staying power. Thereore,
ven with higher ruit purchasing costs than other companies,
rutaSã has been able to remain nancially sustainable and attract
normed and concerned consumers into its market share. The basicule ollowed by FrutaSã is that total ruit acquisition costs must not
xceed 30 per cent o the retail price o the pulp. This has allowed
rutaSã to pay suppliers higher purchasing costs, while still working
with a comortable prot margin.
he sustainability o FrutaSã’s business model has ocially been
ecognized in recent years, with the organization awarded the
Chico Mendes Award or ‘Sustainable Business o the Year’ in 2004
nd the ‘Sustainable Business Award’ rom the Brazilian Business
Council or Sustainable Development in 2007. These awards can
e seen as recognition o the project’s importance as a promoter
a dierentiated development approach that prioritizes local and
ndigenous community needs as well as environmental conservation.
REPLICATION
ince its establishment, FrutaSã has been able to share its business
model, and the ingredients o its successul implementation, with
wide variety o groups, not only across Maranhão and Tocantins,
ut in other states such as Minas Gerais, Pará and Piaui. FrutaSã has
osted a number o site visits by dierent indigenous communities
nd arming groups, each time sharing their experiences with the
ntention o replicating elements o the project in other communities.
The Center or Indigenous Work – one o the ounding par
o FrutaSã – has also launched a project in collaboration with
Inter-American Development Bank to consolidate and streng
the supply chain o native ruit trees across Carolina in Maran
This initiative will directly benet more than 300 amilies, and
be based on the model o local ruit producers that is advan
by FrutaSã. Technical assistance, guidance, distribution o
seedlings, and mentoring will serve to create new produc
groups, which will ultimately be consolidated into cooperativ
the end o the project.
Beyond direct peer-to-peer exchanges and site visits, FrutaSã act
participates in discussion orums and inormation exchangeshare its business model. One o the many networks to w
the organization contributes is the Araguaia-Tocantins Solid
Marketing Network, which coordinates the activities o se
solidarity groups in the region. FrutaSã is also a ounding mem
o the Second Degree Cooperative o Central do Cerrado, whi
situated within the Brasilia based Institute or Society, Popula
and Nature, a ederation that coordinates more than 50 produc
groups, associations and cooperatives in ten Cerrado states.
PARTNERS
“Investments in enterprises that follow th solidarity economy model need enough time
mature. It is only when maturity is achieved th
their positive impacts on a regional economy a
greater than that of many large-scale businesse
which are often favored by governments. ”
José Costa Ayres Junior, FrutaSã
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1111
While FrutaSã receives support rom a number o dierent partners,
hree organizations are directly involved in the company.
Wyty-Cate Association was ounded in 1994 and ocially registered
n 1996. It brings together 16 villages: New Waterall, Bacuri and Red
iver (Krahô), San Jose, Patizal, Buriti Fullled, Silver and Cocalinho
Apinajé), St. Joseph and Root (Krikati); Governor, Rubiaceae and
iachinho (Hawk-Pukobyê) Little Pigs (Shin-Apaniekra) and Escalvado
Cinnamon Rãkokamekrá). Since its oundation, the organizationas been actively involved in the coordination o activities around
he conservation and sustainable use o biodiversity in the Cerrado
nd in developing local income-generating projects. It also provides
ocial and economic mapping or local communities to develop
ailored conservation and livelihood solutions. The organization also
as a department o education that works with participating villages
nd organizes training courses or teachers (essentially a train-the-
rainers program). Operations o FrutaSã are supported and directed
y the Wyty-Cate Association. The association also represents the
imbira people at the level o national negotiations and policy input
o ensure adequate representation o indigenous communities.
he second primary partner, the Center or Indigenous Work, is
non-prot NGO ounded in 1979 which coordinates support
nd technical assistance to indigenous communities in the region
the Cerrado. Interventions and assistance are decided upon
ased on direct consultations with participating indigenous
ommunities. So in addition to being project beneciaries,
indigenous communities are also the authors and architect
environmental and developmental solutions. The scope o e
project is based on indigenous community demands, which
communicated through project coordinators. The operating eth
sel-management and the strengthening o indigenous associat
so that they can manage their own projects. The organizatio
also actively involved in educating local indigenous commun
o their rights, particularly in relation to land tenure. In additio
the undamental support and guidance provided to FrutaSã, oproject interventions have included support or schools (eight in
villages o Krahô, Kanela, Hawk-and-Apãnjekra, and Pykobjê),
inrastructure development, drating o toolkits and instructi
materials and training o indigenous teachers.
The third key partner in delivering the FrutaSã project is
Association o Agro-Extraction Small Producers o Carolina, w
was ounded in 1996. The association aims to mobilize and ad
small producers to conserve biodiversity in the Cerrado, and to
ull advantage o the sustainable extractive potential o regi
natural resources. It is through this association that FrutaSã
been able to register over 300 small producer amilies and esta
and maintain close partnerships with them. The association
oversees a central ruit tree nursery, located in the city o Caro
This nursery is absolutely essential to the ongoing unctioning
success o FrutaSã, as seedlings are distributed to local produ
The pulp o ruit produced by these trees is the basis o Fru
products.
7/27/2019 Case Studies UNDP: FRUTASA INDUSTRY, TRADE AND EXPORT LTD, Brazil
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onnecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better lie.
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o recognize and advance local sustainable development solutions or people, nature and resilient communities.
©2012 by Equator Initiative
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FURTHER REFERENCE
De Carvalho, I. S. H., and Silveira, O. Junior. 2006. Uma Análise do Empreendimento Frutasã (Carolina-MA, Brasil) à Luz da Economia Solid
De Carvalho, I. S. H. 2006. Desenvolvimento e Gestão Ambiental para Assentamentos Rurais no Cerrado. Mestrando no Centro de De
volvimento Sustentável (CDS), Universidade de Brasília (UnB), e Pesquisador Associado ao Instituto Sociedade, População e Natu
(ISPN). equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/2008winners/Frutasa/29418.pd