A qualitative analysis of Non-Timber Forest Products activities as a strategy to promote sustainable land use in the Brazilian Cerrado

The Cerrado is one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, a key hydrological area of Brazil and home to socio-culturally diverse groups. However, the expansion of agribusiness activities in the Cerrado biome has led to acute social-ecological disturbances. Deploying strategies that promote socially and ecologically sustainable land use therein is hence imperative. One such strategy encompasses the harvesting, processing and commercialization of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs). This paper thus aims to uncover what interdependent social-ecological dynamics hinder and/or facilitate the consolidation of NTFP activities as a strategy to promote sustainable land use in the Cerrado and how to overcome the challenges permeating these activities. It does so by analyzing NTFP activities in Pirenópolis, Goiás, originally combining different fields of research. This research highlights social-ecological dynamics resulting in positive outcomes, such as the satisfaction of material and socio-cultural needs, the protection and planting of tree species, and a sound knowledge on the ecology and phenology of NTFPs, as well as on sustainable harvesting techniques. Notwithstanding, the results also demonstrate that power imbalances, insufficient local capacity and the agribusiness hegemony hamper NTFP activities in Pirenópolis. This paper emphasizes the urgency of addressing power asymmetries, especially considering the need for the formulation of land use policies that can tackle issues of access to land and NTFPs. This research moreover points to the importance of stronger social relations that can enhance the role of NTFP activities as a strategy to promote sustainable land use.