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Equator Initiative Case StudiesLocal sustainable development solutions for people, nature, and resilient communities
BrazilCARNABA VIVA
Empowered live
Resilient nation
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UNDP EQUATOR INITIATIVE CASE STUDY SERIES
Local and indigenous communities across the world are advancing innovative sustainable development solutions that wo
or people and or nature. Few publications or case studies tell the ull story o how such initiatives evolve, the breadth
their impacts, or how they change over time. Fewer still have undertaken to tell these stories with community practition
themselves guiding the narrative.
To mark its 10-year anniversary, the Equator Initiative aims to ll this gap. The ollowing case study is one in a growing ser
that details the work o Equator Prize winners vetted and peer-reviewed best practices in community-based environmenconservation and sustainable livelihoods. These cases are intended to inspire the policy dialogue needed to take local succ
to scale, to improve the global knowledge base on local environment and development solutions, and to serve as models
replication. Case studies are best viewed and understood with reerence to The Power of Local Action: Lessons from 10 Years
the Equator Prize, a compendium o lessons learned and policy guidance that draws rom the case material.
Click on the map to visit the Equator Initiatives searchable case study database.
EditorsEditor-in-Chief: Joseph Corcoran
Managing Editor: Oliver HughesContributing Editors: Dearbhla Keegan, Matthew Konsa, Erin Lewis, Whitney Wilding
Contributing WritersEdayatu Abieodun Lamptey, Erin Atwell, Toni Blackman, Jonathan Clay, Joseph Corcoran, Larissa Currado, Sarah Gordon, Oliver Hughe
Wen-Juan Jiang, Sonal Kanabar, Dearbhla Keegan, Matthew Konsa, Rachael Lader, Patrick Lee, Erin Lewis, Jona Liebl, Mengning Ma,
Mary McGraw, Gabriele Orlandi, Brandon Payne, Juliana Quaresma, Peter Schecter, Martin Sommerschuh, Whitney Wilding, Luna Wu
DesignOliver Hughes, Dearbhla Keegan, Matthew Konsa, Amy Korngiebel, Kimberly Koserowski, Erin Lewis, John Mulqueen, Lorena de la Pa
Brandon Payne, Mariajos Satizbal G.
AcknowledgementsThe Equator Initiative acknowledges with gratitude Carnaba Viva, and in particular the guidance and inputs o Dario Gaspar Nepomuce
All photo credits courtesy o Dario Gaspar Nepomuceno. Maps courtesy o CIA World Factbook and Wikipedia.
Suggested CitationUnited Nations Development Programme. 2012. Carnaba Viva, Brazil. Equator Initiative Case Study Series. New York, NY.
http://equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/events/2012events/Book_Launch/power%2520of%2520local%2520action%2520final%25202013%25208mb.pdfhttp://equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/events/2012events/Book_Launch/power%2520of%2520local%2520action%2520final%25202013%25208mb.pdfhttp://equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/events/2012events/Book_Launch/power%2520of%2520local%2520action%2520final%25202013%25208mb.pdfhttp://equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/events/2012events/Book_Launch/power%2520of%2520local%2520action%2520final%25202013%25208mb.pdfhttp://equatorinitiative.org/index.php?option=com_winners&view=casestudysearch&Itemid=858 -
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PROJECT SUMMARYWorking in the caatinga ecosystem o northeasternBrazil, Carnaba Viva has introduced innovative meanso sustainably managing the carnauba tree (Copernicia
prunifera), a locally-abundant palm species whoseleaves can be used or wax production. Working with theindigenous people o the Jaguaribe-Au territory and inpartnership with the Brazilian Ministry o Environment, theinitiative has developed sustainable harvesting o carnaubatree derivatives that has underpinned conservation eortsand improved local livelihoods.
Carnaba Viva has intervened on the supply and demandsides o carnauba processing. Technical training in improvedpruning, reorestation and in-vitro seed cultivationhas boosted productivity o local producers. Marketinterventions have involved promoting carnauba treebers as an alternative to aluminum insulating plates andcarnauba wax ber belts or use in the oil and gas industry.
KEY FACTS
EQUATOR PRIZE WINNER: 2010
FOUNDED: 2004
LOCATION: Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
BENEFICIARIES: Over 750 artisans and carnauba workers
BIODIVERSITY: Carnauba tree (Copernicia prunifera)
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CARNABA VIVABrazil
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Background and Context 4
Key Activities and Innovations 5
Biodiversity Impacts 6
Socioeconomic Impacts 6
Policy Impacts 7
Sustainability 8
Replication 8
Partners 8
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Carnaba Viva works in the distinct caatinga ecosystem o
ortheastern Brazil, in the state o Rio Grande do Norte. The basis
the project is the carnauba tree (Copernicia prunifera), a species
palm native to the region. The palm is popularly reerred to by
he indigenous population as the Tree o Lie because o its many
alues to local people. The ruit and pit rom the tree can be eaten,
he wood is widely used in construction, and the leaves can be
rocessed to extract what is amously among the hardest naturally-
ccurring waxes in the world. Carnauba wax is coveted or use in
he cosmetics, ood, pharmaceutical and auto industries. While the
arnauba tree grows in other countries and regions o the world, it
s only in Brazil that there is enough rainall or the palm to produce
wax. The carnauba tree produces the wax to protect itsel rom
ehydration.
Adding value to indigenous resource use
Carnaba Viva supports indigenous people within the Jaguaribe-
Au territory in sustainably harvesting carnauba tree derivatives
nd in connecting to lucrative market supply-chains. Projects range
rom carnauba wax extraction to advancing new technologies.
n partnership with the Ministry o Environment, Carnaba Viva
onducts training with indigenous people to transer knowledge
elated to the management and harvesting o carnauba derivatives.
On the supply side, Carnaba Viva supports activities in pruning,
eorestation and the in-vitro cultivation o seeds, all o which
re helping to create and sustain livelihoods in one o the mostnvironmentally degraded and economically marginalized regions
Brazil. On the demand side, the group has perhaps been most
uccessul in two areas: i) promoting carnauba tree bers as an
lternative to aluminum insulating plates; and ii) promoting
arnauba wax ber belts or use in the oil and gas industry.
he Carnaba Viva initiative was born in 2004 and has the stated
bjective o transorming the processes o carnauba extraction
within the Jaguaribe-Au territory to develop a viable supply-chain
or community wellbeing. The emphasis on community wellbeing is
olistic, and is inclusive o social, environmental and cultural values
in addition to improvements in the local economy. The initi
aims to create jobs and provide a measure o economic securit
an already marginalized population. Local culture and tradit
knowledge, however, are equally important to the Carnaba
model and underpin a local conservation ethic that is essenti
the long-term sustainability o the organization. The groups vi
more broadly conceived, is to organize and educate those invo
in the sustainable extraction o carnauba tree derivatives, such
they can live with dignity, achieve economic security and contri
to the conservation and sustainable use o both the carnauba
and the caatinga ecosystem.
Environmental threats and a partnership-driven model
Carnaba Viva evolved partly in response to the gro
ragmentation o carnauba tree extractive activities within
Jaguaribe-Au territory. Architects o the program observed a
o coordination in the extraction process. A lack o communica
and coordination was leading to inefciencies in the su
chain. Additionally, growth in a number o industrial sectors
beginning to threaten the carnauba tree and local ecosystem
extraction, the ceramic brick and tile industry, shrimp arming
irrigated horticulture all had the combined eect o disloca
local inhabitants rom their land and eroding local biodiversity
sustainable extractive activities to stay competitive, and to incr
the number o local beneciaries, it would also be necessa
attract new partners.
Carnaba Viva has been successul in attracting the right combina
o partners to ensure a steady demand or sustainably and lo
harvested carnauba tree derivatives. The organization has cre
a supply-chain that links local producers with bigger markets
larger industries. One transormative partnership has been
Petrobras, a Brazilian multi-national energy company. Carna
Viva sources sustainably harvested carnauba tree ber rom
communities to produce steam transmission line coverings.
carnauba ber oers a more durable, sustainable and cost-ee
alternative to the aluminum coverings previously used by Petro
Background and Context
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Key Activities and Innovations
Carnaba Viva activities are aimed at the conservation and sustainable
se o the carnauba tree and improving the livelihoods o local
ommunities by connecting them with more lucrative and better-
oordinated supply chains. Project activities are largely ocused on
alue-added secondary processing o carnauba derivatives.
Key programme areas
One specic activity is a project called the Transer o Technology
nd Development o Carnauba Products. Under this project,
ocal communities are trained in sustainable extraction and crat
echniques, and are supported in sharing this knowledge with other
ommunities. Training includes the use o solar dryers or carnauba
eaves, which allow or aster drying and ultimately better qualitypowder or use in the production o carnauba wax. The project is
partnership with the State University o Rio Grande do Norte and
s unded by both the Ministry o Agrarian Development and the
National Council or Scientic and Technological Development.
Carnaba Viva is also involved in a related project called The Rebirth
o Carnauba. The project involves the installation o carnauba powder
processing units in new communities entering the production
upply-chain. Job creation, income diversication, environmental
ducation and local empowerment are all primary objectives. The
project is a partnership with the municipality o Ipanguau and
s unded by the Ministry o Agrarian Development and the Au-
Mossoro territory.
Another related project the organization leads is In-Vitro Production
o Carnauba Seedlings, which ocuses on cultivating carnauba
eedlings in nurseries and laboratories or tree-planting eorts
by participating communities. The project is a partnership with
he Federal University o Rio Grande do Norte. Finally, the group
operates a Fair Trade Centre, which aims to market local and amily-
evel arming products.
aken together, these projects ocus on making the carnauba
production chain work or local people. Carnaba Viva uses these
project activities to promote traditional cultural values
pride in indigenous heritage), local knowledge, social inclu
environmental awareness, and sustainable livelihood options
empower local people. The organization has managed to ta
sustainable activity and generate new sources o income or
700 people.
Fusion of modern and traditional knowledge
One noteworthy innovation o Carnaba Viva is the combina
o traditional knowledge and modern technology. Tradit
knowledge is the basis o all acets o carnauba wax extrac
and production. This is empowering or the local armers,
engenders community ownership o project activities. This knowledge, however, has been complemented by more mo
technology solar dryers or powder extraction and wax produc
shakers or powder removal, and personal protective equipm
to reduce workplace injuries. Another innovation has
wholesale improvements in local livelihoods without damaging
environment. Prior to the project, carnauba trees were being log
at alarming rates, largely or use in the tile and brick industries
success o the project has demonstrated to other communitie
viability o environmental conservation initiatives that also wo
people.
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Impacts
BIODIVERSITY IMPACTS
Carnaba Viva has advanced a market supply-chain model that
protects the carnauba palm and its surrounding ecosystem. This
aatinga ecosystem, deriving rom a Tupi word meaning white
vegetation, consists primarily o small, thorny trees that shed their
eaves seasonally. Cacti, thick-stemmed plants, thorny brush, and
rid-adapted grasses make up the ground layer. Common to the
north-east o Brazil, the Caatinga covers an estimated 10% o Brazils
and area.
The Carnaba Viva initiative provides a sustainable livelihood
lternative to the pervasive and environmentally deleteriousextractive industries in the region mining, oil and gas, brick and
ile, shrimp arming, and irrigated horticulture. Expansion o these
ndustries was leading to deorestation, biodiversity loss and the
degradation o the caatinga ecosystem. By contrast, carnauba wax
extraction does not require land conversion or the elling o trees and
o has the potential to be a sustainable non-timber orest product.
Environmental education is also a central component o
Carnaba Vivas work. Awareness-raising campaigns are targeted
t landowners and convey not only the need to conserve local
biodiversity to maintain the integrity o the regions ecosystems, but
lso the economic opportunities presented by carnauba extraction.
Campaigns highlight conservation incentives to landowners andencourage more sustainable land-use choices.
The initiative does not as yet have a systematic biodiversity
monitoring and evaluation program in place. A partnership is being
explored, however, with the Ministry o Environment and the Chico
Mendes Institute to build this capacity.
SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS
Carnaba Viva has eectively transormed the local economy. The
primary target population is carnaubeiros the agricultural wo
and cratspeople involved in various aspects o the carnauba su
chain. Currently, the initiative works with over 700 people rom
municipalities o Rio Grande do Norte.
When the initiative began in 2004, women were the primary ta
population. Beginning in 2007, the project expanded its scop
include male agricultural workers. Male and emale, all were wo
in the production o coverings made rom carnauba ber. In 2
the project expanded to other acets o the supply-chain, inclu
those specializing in the cutting o leaves and removal o po
rom carnauba straw. The initiative is currently building a carn
wax production plant in Ipamguau. Following its completionnumber o local people involved in the project will grow substan
Prior to the initiation o the project, local women making g
rom carnauba straw had little access to markets and were un
to set prices or their products. Standards o quality control
absent (again aecting market price) and the scope o the s
organization needed to address these problems was beyond
capacity o any single cluster o producers. Carnaba Viva
provided these women and many more local producers sin
with market access, bargaining power, quality control stand
Table 1: Benefciaries o Carnaba Viva
Year People Target Population
2004 50 Artisans
2005 130 Artisans
2006 250 Artisans
2007 329 Artisans
2008 500 Artisans
2009 550 Artisans and carnauba workers
2010 700 Artisans and carnauba workers
Source: Carnaba Viva (2010)
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and a proessional network. The supply chain has been shortened,
allowing local extractors and producers to sell directly to industrial
buyers.
The organization has overseen an average increase in household
ncome o 5 per cent per year, and has improved job security in
an uncertain and sparse economic climate. Project revenues have
been reinvested into community development projects, as well
as cultural, artistic and sports activities including environmentalesearch, capoeira classes, theatre, and visual arts.
mportantly, the initiative has empowered an economically
marginalized segment o the population. Income growth is based
on local knowledge and a sustainable activity. Improvements have
been observed in improved access to education, improved maternal
health and reduced inant mortality.
POLICY IMPACTS
Perhaps one o Carnaba Vivas most signicant accomplishm
has been the creation o the Jaguaribe-Au territory, securing
tenure or communities engaged in sustainable natural reso
management. The Jaguaribe-Au territory is comprised o
municipalities in the states o Rio Grande do Norte and Cear
initiative worked with the Ministry o Environment to gain o
legal recognition o the territory, which is now under commubased land management. Recognition was granted based on
high regard o the governments in Rio Grande do Norte and C
or Carnaba Viva. The organization is also active in a rang
management groups, including those o the territory o Jagua
Au, the territory o Au-Mossoro, the Watershed Committee o
Piranhas-Au River, the Municipal Council on the Environmen
Au, and the Advisory Committee o FLONA.
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Life has to be the dominant value. Public policy should be focused on the preservation of life
all of its forms, not be a form of bargaining to advance special interests.
Dario Gaspar Nepomuceno, Carnaba Viva
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Sustainability and Replication
SUSTAINABILITYroject sustainability is denitely tied to continued demand rom
etrobras. While the organization benets rom the business
elationship, a change in demand or sustainably harvested carnauba
roducts rom Petrobras would deliver a crippling blow to Carnaba
Viva.
o improve its sustainability, Carnaba Viva is investing in
mentoring programs, community mobilization, awareness-raising
n environmental conservation, and management training. The
nitiative is looking to expand to other regions, to partner with a
wider range o environmental agencies and companies (to diversiyts demand sources), to provide human resources training and to
stablish a credit line in order to nance small ecosystem-based
usiness ventures.
REPLICATION
he initial target population o the project was the communities
working in Palheiros III, or roughly 100 agricultural workers and
xtractors. Carnaba Viva has expanded to cover the wider territory
Jaguaribe-Au and now works with over 700 local people. The
nitiative has also expanded to virtually all aspects o the carnauba
erivative production chain. Eight cooperatives (or mini-ederations)
ave been created to acilitate the peer-to-peer exchange onowledge and lessons learned. Plans are underway to expand work
nto other northeastern states in Brazil where carnauba grows.
PARTNERS
Currently, Petrobras is the organizations most important partner on
he demand side o the business model.
he Federal University o Rio Grande do Norte has provided
upport with proposal writing and project design, particularly or
the Technology Transer and Development o Carnauba Prod
project and the In-Vitro Production o Carnauba Seedlings pro
The municipal governments o Ipanguau and Assu provide b
level support, both or specic projects as well as ongoing operat
SEBRAE and Cordo de Ouro have, respectively, partnered
Carnauba Viva to provide community training.
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Click the thumbnails below to read more case studies like this:
Equator Initiative
Environment and Energy GroupUnited Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
304 East 45th Street, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10017
Tel: +1 646 781 4023
www.equatorinitiative.org
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UNs global development network, advocating or change
onnecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better lie.
The Equator Initiative brings together the United Nations, governments, civil society, businesses and grassroots organizati
o recognize and advance local sustainable development solutions or people, nature and resilient communities.
2012 by Equator Initiative
All rights reserved
FURTHER REFERENCE
Carnaba Viva website http://www.carnaubaviva.org.br/
Carnaba Viva Photo Story (Vimeo) http://vimeo.com/15960796
Video on Carnaba Viva, 2012 (YouTube)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYXjZn2KYhM
http://www.carnaubaviva.org.br/http://vimeo.com/15960796http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYXjZn2KYhMhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYXjZn2KYhMhttp://vimeo.com/15960796http://www.carnaubaviva.org.br/http://www.equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/com_winners/casestudy/case_1348150412.pdfhttp://www.equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/com_winners/casestudy/case_1348150723.pdfhttp://www.equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/com_winners/casestudy/case_1348163891.pdf