Development and conservation for the Amazon

The Amazon rainforest should be celebrated for its beauty, biodiversity, importance in maintaining the global climate, among many other attributes. The remaining area of ​​the Amazon forest is estimated at 70%, or 3 million km², making it the largest tropical forest in the world. More than 90% of the forest is distributed across the states in the Northern region of Brazil, which are part of the Legal Amazon.

Theoretically, the Amazon forest tends to remain relatively well preserved, as 40% of the Legal Amazon is occupied by conservation units and indigenous reserves, a proportion that grows annually. Furthermore, according to the Forest Code, the legal reserve area on rural properties in the region can reach 80%, being the most restrictive compared to the rest of the country.

Based on these values, it is possible to infer how the ecological and economic value of the Amazon forest (standing) is recognized. Paradoxically, the North region is one of the least developed in the country. After all, Amazonians do not live solely on products extracted from the forest. Most of everything we consume comes from exotic species (meat, vegetables, clothing, etc.). To meet the demand for these products, Amazonian states have two options: produce in their territories, or import from other states and countries, which have already cut down larger areas of forest.

The level of deforestation in the Amazon is above tolerable, probably because those responsible believe that cutting down the forest to cultivate products of exotic origin is the best way to grow economically, imitating more developed states. However, many deforested areas are underutilized, which does not reduce poverty and promotes environmental degradation. It can be seen that there is a lot of lack of knowledge on the part of these actors regarding the uses that can be given to the forest and the newly opened area itself.

What appears to be a problem is, in fact, a great opportunity for the states in the Amazon region, which have the possibility of showing that it is possible to reconcile development with environmental conservation. This requires productive and profitable rural enterprises, which reduce the pressure to open new areas. In this regard, Embrapa plays a fundamental role, especially the units in the Amazon region.

In these units, technologies are developed that not only allow increasing the productivity of pastures, agricultural and forestry crops, with greater soil and water conservation, but also technologies that allow the sustainable use of the forest, through forest management of wood and non-wood products. . Research into crop-livestock-forest integration systems (iLPF) has intensified, and could result in alternative models for using the property.

Many technologies are already available. The challenge is to make them known and apply them. To achieve this, greater integration of Embrapa with government agents and civil society is necessary, aiming to formalize partnerships and disseminate knowledge. Only in this way will rural enterprises be developed that take into account regional peculiarities and contribute to social inclusion, economic growth and environmental conservation.