Jackeline Thomaz Giovenardi
Translation: Ligia Payão Chizolini
The Cerrado, Brazil's second-largest biome, covers approximately 204 million hectares, equivalent to about 24% of the national territory. Most of this biome is located on the Central Plateau, a high-altitude region in the country's center. Its strategic location makes the Cerrado essential for water resource distribution (Lima et al., 2007; Silva et al., 2007). According to Souza (2017), eight of Brazil's twelve main river basins are located within the Cerrado biome.
The expansion of agribusiness in the Cerrado has been crucial in positioning Brazil as a global leader in agricultural commodity production. However, this expansion has led to the deforestation of nearly half of the biome. The transformation of native areas into agricultural and livestock lands has degraded natural vegetation formations, such as grasslands, and facilitated the invasion of exotic species, compromising the biome's essential ecological balance and ecosystem functions (Viana, 2018).
Although the Cerrado is the cradle of Brazilian agribusiness, it is home to approximately 45,000 Indigenous people. These communities are mainly distributed across the states of Maranhão, Tocantins, Goiás, and Mato Grosso do Sul, comprising 26 ethnic groups with distinct cultural characteristics (Barbosa et al., 2008; Schmitz et al., 2008). However, most Indigenous Lands (TIs) within the biome have not yet been officially recognized. This situation has led to severe conflicts, which pose one of the main threats to the survival of many Indigenous groups, endangering their cultures and ways of life (ISPN, 2020).
In addition to land disputes, the projected growth in energy consumption and global demand for agricultural products, combined with the continuation of the current model of agricultural expansion and intensification amidst regional temperature and precipitation changes, is likely to intensify the degradation of the Cerrado and biodiversity loss. This could further compromise the biome’s ecological functions and exacerbate impacts on vulnerable social groups, such as Indigenous peoples and traditional communities (Bustamante, 2022).
The Cerrado contains over 220 species with medicinal properties, more than 416 species that can be used for soil recovery, and more than ten types of edible fruits. These fruits, besides being consumed by local populations, are an important source of income, as they are sold in urban centers, providing sustenance for many families. Additionally, local communities practice sustainable extractivism, often organized in cooperatives that strengthen their economy and promote environmental conservation (Belonia, 2018).
Currently, the main threats to the biodiversity of the Cerrado are related to the expansion of agriculture and livestock farming, which often result in the conversion of natural areas into agricultural lands, leading to the loss of native vegetation. This expansion process involves the intensive use of pesticides, fertilizers, soil amendments, uncontrolled irrigation, overgrazing, monoculture, and large-scale agriculture. The improper management of production factors, characterized by excessive use of chemical technologies and heavy mechanization, further exacerbates the impact on the Cerrado's ecosystem (Cunha et al., 2008; Lima et al., 2008; Gomes et al., 2008).
Agricultural expansion, combined with the intensive use of chemical technologies and deforestation, jeopardizes water resources and accelerates the biome's degradation. This degradation not only affects biodiversity and water sources but also directly impacts the physical and social survival of traditional populations. The Cerrado plays a fundamental role in the lives of these communities, who depend on its natural resources, such as native plants, to maintain their cultural practices and ways of life. Thus, the destruction of the biome threatens not only environmental balance but also the cultural heritage of these populations.
References
BUSTAMANTE, Mercedes. The Cerrado and Climate Change. Revista Ciência e Cultura, v. 70, n. 1, 2018. Available at: https://revistacienciaecultura.org.br/?p=6905. Accessed on: October 22, 2024.
BELONIA, Paulo. Population of the Cerrado: understanding the social importance of this biome. 2018. Available at: https://www.savecerrado.org/populacao-cerrado-importancia-social/. Accessed on: October 22, 2024.
BARBOSA, L. M. Cerrado: Ecology and Flora, Vol. 1. EMBRAPA Publishing House, 2008.
CUNHA, Nina Rosa da Silveira; LIMA, João Eustáquio de; GOMES, Marília Fernandes de Maciel;
BRAGA, Marcelo José. The Intensity of Agricultural Exploitation as an Indicator of Environmental Degradation in the Cerrado Region, Brazil. RER, Piracicaba, SP, v. 46, n. 02, pp. 291-323, April/June 2008. Published in June 2008. Available at: SciELO - Brazil. Accessed on: October 22, 2024.
INSTITUTO SOCIEDADE, POPULAÇÃO E NATUREZA (ISPN). Traditional Peoples and Communities of the Cerrado. Brasília: ISPN, 2020. Available at: https://www.ispn.org.br/povos-e-comunidades-tradicionais-do-cerrado/. Accessed on: October 22, 2024.
LIMA, Jorge Enoch Furquim Werneck; SILVA, Euzebio Medrado da. Estimate of the Surface Water Contribution of the Cerrado to Brazil's Major Hydrographic Regions. XVII Brazilian Symposium on Water Resources - São Paulo - 2007. Available at: ABRHidro - Publications. Accessed on: October 22, 2024.
SOUSA, Fernando José de. Bambuí, Urucuia, and Guarani: the great aquifers of the Brazilian Cerrado. Water, Life & Co. – Fernando José de Sousa, 2021. Available at: https://ferdinandodesousa.com/2021/02/26/bambui-urucuia-e-guarani-os-grandes-aquiferos-do-cerrado-brasileiro/. Accessed on: October 22, 2024.
VIANA, Bento. Political Strategies for the Cerrado. Brasília: ISPN, 2018. Available at: https://ispn.org.br/site/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Estrategias-Politicas-para-o-Cerrado_web-1.pdf. Accessed on: October 22, 2024.
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