25 February 2013: According to a new study by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and the Sociedad Peruana de Derecho Ambiental (SPDA), overlapping agriculture, mining and timber concessions threaten rural livelihoods dependent on Brazil nut harvesting in the Madre de Dios region of Peru.

The authors of “Superposición espacial en la zonificación de bosques en Madre de Dios” have produced maps illustrating the clearing of forests for farming and small-scale gold mining in Brazil nut concessions throughout the region. The concessions, according to the report, generate an important source of income for an estimated 15,000-20,000 people and, in 2010, supported export revenues amounting to US$14 million.

The report states that a lack of coordination and verification of pre-existing claims by government agencies responsible for granting land-use rights have led to a situation where Brazil nut concessions overlap with 47,000 hectares of mining, 34,000 hectares of farming, and 1.3 million hectares of timber concessions.

Although land-clearing make mining and farming largely incompatible with Brazil nut harvesting, the authors indicate ample opportunities for harmonizing nut and timber extraction, which could be incorporated into draft regulations to implement Peru’s 2011 Forest and Wildlife Law. Recommendations for resolving conflicting claims include integrating government agencies’ information systems, strengthening the system for granting and protecting land-use rights and working with the new National Forest Service to avoid competing claims.

CIFOR is a member of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). [CIFOR News Release] [SPDA News Release] [Publication: Superposición espacial en la zonificación de bosques en Madre de Dios: Implicaciones para la sostenibilidad del recurso castañero]