ACL Brazil Nut
THE BRAZIL NUT IS AMONG THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT AGRO-EXTRACTIVISM PRODUCTS FOR FOOD PURPOSES IN BRAZIL.
Recent studies in the literature indicate that the entire national production of Brazil nuts comes from the Amazon, where the Brazil nut tree (Bertholletia excelsa) is native. However, it is the region that benefits the least from it, especially economically.
In recent years, the Brazil nut has become one of the most important inputs of the Amazonian bioeconomy. With an annual turnover of approximately R$2.3 billion annually worldwide, the Brazil nut is among the three most important agro-extractivism products for food purposes in Brazil. Its consumption has increased by 700% in the last 15 years, emphasizing its importance for the region, as shown by data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Mapa, 2020).
However, its production faces logistical and quality control challenges. In this context, the ACL Brazil nut aims not only to add value, but also to bring innovation to production and overcome current challenges.
In the pursuit to give more space to this biological asset in our economy, we need to boost the generation of added value for the products of local communities and keep the forest standing.
The Brazil nut ACL is designed to strengthen the bioeconomy in the Amazon and also aims to increase the percentage of local processing in the regions where traditional communities are located, with the intention of increasing the income of extractivism.
Initial research has already been carried out to result in a design proposal that brings improved technologies to be used in the production of nut derivatives such as highly nutritional food products and cosmetics with innovative formulas and a high concentration of the active ingredient, based on local business initiatives from the communities themselves.
ACL Brazil Nut in Practice
Some of the products proposed for this LCA are:
● Brazil nut paste
● Brazil nut dulce de leche
● Brazil nut milk powder
● Brazil nut moisturizers
● Brazil nut soaps
● Brazil nut shell exfoliant
