Agroforestry Systems in the Atlantic Forest – SiAMA

• The Atlantic Forest covers about 15% of the country’s territory across 17 states and is considered one of the richest biomes of planet due to its high biodiversity and forest ecosystems diversification. However, only 12% of the original forest remains to date
• The biome is home to 72% of the country's population and generates ca. 70% of the national GDP
• Rural areas are still very poor, especially in the regions targeted by the project focus areas where income is often lower than one minimum salary (BRL 1,045 or USD 200 per month) and most of the population depends on government assistance programmes
• The project’s counterparts (family farmers, traditional communities and women) have often limited access to the internet and low educational background
• There are several other agroforestry projects running in the regions but there is a lack of coordination of actions and complementarity of outcomes

To promote agroforestry in the target regions, the project delivered a range of activities across three pillars:

1. Capacity building: Virtual and in-person training and workshops were conducted to strengthen farmers’ and rural producers’ technical knowledge and skills to implement agroforestry systems. On-site activities included theoretical and practical workshops culminating in the set-up of 22 Agroforestry Demonstration Units (of about eight hectares in total) in different municipalities in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Bahia and Paraná. Additionally, the introductory course "Commercialization of agroforestry products" was conducted virtually via WhatsApp and contributed to forming a community of family farmers which remained active even after the end of the training.
2. Markets: Business plans were developed for three cooperatives to include innovative products and processes to increase efficiency in resource allocation and improve business opportunities. The business models were developed in close cooperation with the farmers, giving them the chance to reflect on future business ideas and opportunities.
3. Governance: Three agroforestry networks were created – the Lagamar and Ribeira Agroforestry Network (which covers the states of Paraná and São Paulo), the Rio de Janeiro Agroforestry Network, and the Southern Bahia Agroforestry Network. The networks provide a space for exchanging information, knowledge and lessons on agroforestry to a wide community of stakeholders, including farmers, cooperatives, associations, government representatives, private companies, NGOs and research institutions.

Given the nature of the counterparts targeted by the project, all activities demonstrated a strong GESI component from the outset. Family farmers, traditional communities and women are more exposed to the negative impact of climate change as they depend on agriculture as their sole source of income. Additionally, they also face many challenges in accessing credit and technical education, as well as technological resources and skills. This perpetuates a cycle of poverty and vulnerability. 

The project addressed these challenges mainly through the delivery of targeted training and practical workshops on the management of agroforestry systems in the 22 Demonstration Units. These were experimental areas of where rural landowners, farmers, technicians and students gathered to learn about restoration techniques and the technical skills needed to set up their own agroforestry systems.   

Additionally, the created agroforestry networks provided a formative space for dialogue and collaboration. The efforts to create a gender balanced group led to greater female participation in the network meetings in all locations, with a female participation rate of 53%. Women in the group have improved their understanding of how conservation is essential for their livelihoods and that of future generations. 

The implementation of these activities generated a stronger sense of community and collaboration, encouraging people of all ages and genders to get involved.  

The project laid the foundation for long-term, transformational changes through critical progress across the three pillars of the work – governance, capacity and markets. 

However, the project's long-term sustainably hinges upon the realisation of visible economic returns through agroforestry to significantly improve farmers' livelihoods. The agroforestry networks created, the training guide and booklets developed, the marketing materials and business plans delivered, and most importantly, the coordination efforts to connect several actors will certainly contribute to maintaining and amplifying the impact of the project beyond its lifetime.

Overall, the SiAMA project built good relationships with people and organisations in the target regions and ensured active participation of family farmers. This approach was fundamental in building a strong network. However, these relationships will need be nurtured and strengthened to ensure the results achieved are not lost and generate transformational changes for rural communities and deliver mitigation and adaptation benefits.