How açaí berries are reviving forests and livelihoods in southern Brazil
In southern Brazil, temperatures are rising, bringing heavier rainfall and increasing the risk of flooding. These floods are washing away fertile soils, damaging crops and disrupting people’s livelihoods.
Planting a wider variety of crops, keeping forests healthy and working with native plants that tolerate heavy rain are key strategies for building resilience. The Mbya Guarani community in Rio Grande do Sul understand this well and is leading local adaptation efforts through agroforestry.
Centro Ecológico is a non-government organization founded in 1985 with a commitment to environmental preservation and social justice. In 2022, the organization received its first grant from the UNDP-Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator (AFCIA) to expand this mission. Working closely with smallholder families, the Guarani community and a Quilombola community across the northern coast of Rio Grande do Sul and the extreme south of Santa Catarina, the organization is combining research and local knowledge to strengthen climate resilience.