NWO funding awarded to WUR project on biodiversity and sustainable agriculture in the Brazilian Cerrado

Biodiversity in the Brazilian Cerrado is under increasing pressure from agricultural expansion. Addressing this challenge requires practical solutions that safeguard agricultural production while protecting biodiversity and mitigating climate change.

To support this ambition, four Dutch-Brazilian research consortia have received funding through the Dutch Research Agenda (NWA) and the Brazilian research council CNPq. Together, the projects address ecological, social and economic dimensions of sustainable land use and the role of Dutch-Brazilian value chains in creating a better balance between food production and biodiversity. 

The programme, Balancing agriculture and biodiversity in the Brazilian Cerrado: an integrated socio-ecological approach, was developed by NWO, the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature (LVVN), and CNPq. The consortia closely collaborate with local communities, agricultural cooperatives, NGOs and policymakers. 

The WUR project, Leveraging biodiversity for reshaping agricultural production in the Brazilian Cerrado, is led by Jorge Sellare (WUR) together with Professor Sónia Maria Carvalho Ribeiro (Federal University of Minas Gerais) and will run for four years, starting in January 2027.

While much international attention focuses on the Amazon, this project concentrates on the Cerrado biome and, more specifically, the MATOPIBA region, Brazil's main agricultural frontier. The Cerrado is one of the world's biodiversity hotspots but is increasingly threatened by agricultural expansion and global market pressures, creating tensions between conservation, economic development and local livelihoods.

The project is built around the emerging Brazilian concept of sociobiodiversity, which combines biodiversity conservation with sustainable economic development. Native Cerrado species such as macaúba, pequi and buriti are explored not only for their ecological value but also for their potential to generate income and improve livelihoods without further conversion of natural vegetation.

Researchers will map existing production and value chains, assess new business opportunities, conduct life-cycle assessments, analyse contributions to local income and food security, and develop open-source traceability tools to strengthen sustainable value chains.

The project brings together economists, agronomists, land-use scientists and innovation partners from both Brazil and the Netherlands. Producer associations representing family farmers are actively involved throughout the project to ensure that research and co-created solutions are firmly rooted in local realities. This close collaboration ensures that scientific expertise and practical experience are combined from the outset to co-create solutions that are both relevant and applicable in practice.