Large-scale restoration of the Atlantic Forest is a process that requires knowledge of farming dynamics, as the vast majority of areas available for restoration are found in land used for agriculture and pasture. In order to propose a restoration method of this kind, it is necessary to access information about the ecology of the place and the people who live in it. 

Within this context, Brown University in partnership with the Instituto Floresta Viva reuniu brought together a team of environmental and social scientists from Brazil and the United States to gather data on the reasons for and ways of land use in Southern Bahia. The main objective of this research was to discover how to restore rich ecosystems while increasing human well-being. This information was answered by mapping out which areas are most suitable for restoration, both socially and ecologically, and which incentives would be most appropriate and successful for improving human well-being and forest regeneration. 

Following this premise, the initial focus of the research was understanding the strategies developed by rural producers, their working conditions and associated vulnerabilities, in the 26 municipalities of the Southern Bahia Coastal Territory, within the Atlantic Forest biome. To this end, 3,000 farmers were interviewed, randomly distributed in 150 census sectors. In each sector, 20 randomly selected rural producers were interviewed, who formed communities. The first action was to document the range of productive activities that are fundamental to family incomes in the region, such as: alternating cropping, livestock, cocoa production, non-agricultural jobs, as well as to diagnose institutional and other barriers to agricultural activities. The second action was focused on proposing six forest restoration models, with monthly payments for ecosystem services, which were constantly evaluated. The research lasted 5 years; three surveys were completed per property (one every 4 months) in the first year and one form per year in the subsequent 4 years. The understanding of land use and farmer’s strategies has been fundamental to design differentiated restoration methods for the Atlantic Forest. Combining the results of the research and technical knowledge from experienced stakeholders with the remarkable local knowledge of the peoples and places of Southern Bahia has given us confidence that the restoration challenge can be met.

An important result of this research was the realization and delivery, in 2020, of the report ‘’Panorama of Cocoa Cultivation in the Southern Bahia Coastal Territory’’(click here to access it). The document was developed by IFV with the support of Cocoa Action Brasil, in response to a collective demand from the Brazilian cocoa sector for data and information on the cocoa value chain.

The report provides rich data related to various aspects of cocoa production and its producers and contributes to an overview of cocoa cultivation in the Southern Bahia Coastal Territory. It also serves as a source of updates for the various actors in the value chain for collective monitoring and sustainable development.

We can cite other developments of this research, like the implementation of some cooperation with public authorities of the municipalities involved, as well as scientific cooperation to carry out academic research, as presented below: