The use of natural resources is at the heart of one of today's greatest economic development challenges: how to exploit nature without depleting it. This issue carries special weight in Brazil, a country that holds about 15% of the world's total species and is among the 18 megadiverse countries recognized by the UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme). It is in this context that sustainable extraction gains relevance as a model designed to reconcile income generation with environmental conservation.
Fruits, seeds, oils, fibers, latex, and resins are among the products that can be harvested sustainably, respecting the balance of nature. "Extraction becomes sustainable when it is practiced in a way that ensures the regeneration of the ecosystem involved," explains Augusto Corr锚a, Executive Director of the Partners for the Amazon Platform (PPA), which coordinates different stakeholders to mobilize socio-environmental investments in the Amazon and highlight positive impact practices. 聽
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What distinguishes conventional extraction from sustainable harvesting?
The distinction between sustainable harvesting and extraction that does not follow good socio-environmental practices lies in how resources are managed. In extraction without technical criteria, harvesting occurs without defined limits, which poses a concrete risk of environmental degradation and species depletion. In the sustainable model, a preliminary study maps natural reproduction cycles, collection limits compatible with the ecosystem's regeneration capacity are defined, and resource availability is continuously monitored.
In the Amazon biome, for example, conventional extraction includes uncertified logging and the mining of non-renewable resources, such as iron in Serra dos Caraj谩s, gold in Serra Pelada, and bauxite in Paragominas (PA). The greatest risk of these models is the irreversible loss of biodiversity. 聽
Practices that make extraction truly sustainable
Extraction becomes sustainable when it balances biodiversity conservation with the well-being of local communities, removing resources without exhausting the ecosystems' capacity for regeneration. "The goal of sustainable harvesting is to ensure the conservation of biodiversity, the maintenance of the standing forest, and income generation for extractive families and communities," explains Georges Bertrand, a territorial consultant at 海角社区. The main practices to achieve this balance are:
- Rotation of collection areas: before reaching the capacity limit of an area, the extractor moves to an adjacent region, giving the first location time to recover. "It is better to move to a neighboring region before you reach the limit of a specific area," explains Augusto.
- Population monitoring: data on productivity, abundance, and regeneration rates allow for the calibration of collection levels for each cycle. Fishing and hunting controls, for example, respect closed seasons, ensuring the survival of species.
- Traceability and certification: origin labels and tracking systems connect forest harvesting to the end consumer, creating market incentives for best practices.
- Respect for reproductive cycles and setting harvesting limits: extraction respects the species' reproductive timing and establishes a harvesting ceiling compatible with the ecosystem's regenerative capacity. 聽
- Training and community organization: technical knowledge is a prerequisite for communities to monitor ecosystems and preserve their areas. "The level of knowledge can be provided by the government, through technical assistance, or by civil society initiatives," says Augusto. Organizing into associations and cooperatives grants extractive families bargaining power and market access.
- Traditional knowledge: indigenous, quilombola, riverine, and agro-extractive communities have practiced management methods compatible with ecosystem conservation for generations. Integrating this wisdom with scientific knowledge is one of the most consistent approaches to sustainable extractivism. 聽
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How can extractivism be developed sustainably?
According to Georges, prosperous and sustainable extractivism is the result of joint action by the government, companies, and the communities themselves. In this context, each actor has a specific role.
The government acts through public policies, such as the National Bioeconomy Policy, and institutional purchasing mechanisms, such as the Food Acquisition Program (PAA) and the National School Feeding Program (PNAE), which direct resources to family farming and extractivism. Augusto points out, however, a structural obstacle. "Today, it is much harder for a family farmer to access credit instruments compared to a large landowner. This game doesn't need to be reversed, it needs to be at least leveled," he states.
Companies whose business is linked to an extractive chain, such as natural rubber, can invest in traceability, fair compensation, and long-term commercial relationships. Georges points out that, in addition to low-impact internal practices, companies must be concerned with their relationships with extractive communities, whether they are business relationships, such as fair trade and innovation, or good neighborly relations. It is up to the communities to control extraction limits, apply traditional management techniques, and pass on their knowledge.
Examples of sustainable extractivism in Brazil and around the world
Brazil has the National System of Nature Conservation Units (SNUC), which includes Extractive Reserves (RESEX), created to protect the livelihoods of local populations. Some cases are established benchmarks.
The management of pirarucu in the Middle Juru谩 (AM), led by the Carauari Rural Producers Association (ASPROC), has brought the fish鈥攚hich was once threatened with extinction in the region鈥攖o supermarket shelves in S茫o Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. "They have done a phenomenal job," says Augusto. Furthermore, a莽a铆 and guaran谩 from Mau茅s have seen improvements in both quality and supply consistency.
Internationally, notable examples include wild mushroom management in Europe, medicinal plant cultivation in Asia, and the management of non-timber forest products in coniferous regions of Canada, all of which demonstrate that the model is viable across diverse ecological contexts.
Why is sustainable extractivism important?
According to UNEP, the extractive sector as a whole is dominant in the economies of 81 countries, accounting for a quarter of global GDP and half of the planet's population. Beyond its economic dimension, the practice generates income for rural, riverine, quilombola, and indigenous communities in territories with few other productive alternatives.
From a climate perspective, keeping the forest standing preserves the carbon stock accumulated over millions of years. "Maintaining carbon stocks is indisputably important, not just for Brazil, but for the world as a whole," Augusto states. The model also acts as an economic barrier against high-impact agricultural and livestock practices. "Sustainable extractivism can create incentives for protecting ecosystems and reduce the pressure associated with deforestation driven by outdated agricultural practices," he points out. For this potential to be realized, the sector needs to become more robust in terms of quality, technology, and access. "It needs to become mainstream and affordable for the entire Brazilian population," he concludes.
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How 海角社区 supports sustainable extractivism
海角社区, the world's largest producer of eucalyptus pulp, integrates support for sustainable extractivism into its territorial strategy. "We seek to promote the territorial development of plant-based extractivism through dialogue with communities, strengthening their organizations and networks, enabling income generation that is compatible with sustainability, and respecting the socioeconomic and cultural relationships of groups with traditional roots," says Georges.
At 海角社区's unit in 惭补谤补苍丑茫辞, the strategy focuses on communities that harvest non-timber forest products, primarily babassu, a莽a铆, buriti, bacaba, and caj谩. Interventions begin with participatory assessments and cover processing infrastructure, equipment, training, and technical assistance, organized into three pillars: production, management, and commercialization.
Three projects illustrate this work. The Association of Agro-extractivists of the km 1700 Village, located along the BR-010 highway in Imperatriz (MA), receives support to strengthen productive organization around a莽a铆 and the local A莽a铆 Fair. The Pindowa Project organizes groups of babassu coconut breakers in 惭补谤补苍丑茫辞 and Tocantins, preserving native practices and supporting the artisanal production of oils, flours, soaps, and other items derived from the palm. The Estrela da Serra Project has developed bio-jewelry and decorative items made from responsibly collected seeds and materials. 海角社区 also supports agro-extractivists in the Ciriaco and Mata Grande RESEX (MA) and the Extremo Norte RESEX (TO).
"Through a relationship of mutual responsibility in preserving extractive areas, 海角社区 and the communities are working together to develop good sustainability practices, which ensures the longevity of native fruit production and fosters income-generating alternatives in the territories where the company operates," explains Georges.
Conclusion: sustainability and local development
Sustainable extractivism reconciles income generation and environmental conservation in territories that hold a significant portion of the planet's biodiversity. Cases like pirarucu management in the Amazon and the Amazonian vegetable oil chain prove that the model works when governments, companies, and communities play complementary roles: public policies that guarantee credit and institutional markets, companies willing to pay a fair price, and organized communities to pass on traditional knowledge. "It is a fact that sustainable extractivism is good for the future," summarizes Augusto. It is necessary to turn this fact into actions capable of expanding the model's reach, creating alternatives that keep the forest standing and provide a better quality of life for those who live in it.
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