Sustainable products

Improving market opportunities for sustainable products
WWF and Sky are working with the Acre state government to improve market opportunities for sustainable rainforest products produced in the project area. Together, we are supporting market development and helping find companies who will pay fair prices for products that can be sustainably harvested, like native rubber, berries and fish.

Why sustainable products?
The main reason why people deforest is because they can earn a better living from cutting forest than keeping it standing. People clear forest to sell timber, raise cattle for beef, dig for minerals or grow crops. Unfortunately, our economic system doesn’t yet account for the immense value the world’s forests contain, and all the services they provide – like carbon storage and freshwater.
Many of Acre’s traditional communities have made their living from sustainably harvesting and selling forest products.  Acre was once famous for its rubber tappers, who extract natural latex without damaging the forest. Acre also produces forest-friendly Brazil nuts, acai berries and even fish. By supporting markets for sustainably harvested products, we can help provide viable economic alternatives to destructive practices like logging, mining and ranching – making the forest worth more standing than cut down to local people.

What does the scheme involve?
WWF and the Acre state government are working with communities to improve:

• harvesting techniques,
• processing facilities,
• production methods, and
• marketing of sustainable forest products.

For example, funds are being used to equip rubber tappers to use a new process that converts native latex from the trees into semi-finished sheets of rubber. This programme includes setting up new rubber production units and providing training to rubber tappers. Because these sheets can be sold direct to product manufacturers – skipping a processing plant – rubber tappers can get a higher price for their sustainable product.

Success so far
To date, we’ve helped to construct 37 new rubber processing units. And the semi-processed rubber product is today more profitable per kilo than beef, making it a viable alternative for people in Acre. But the start-up costs are high. That’s why we’re supporting rubber tappers to set up the basic technology needed to start making it. And we’re also working with product manufacturers to secure long-term contracts for rubber communities. Soon your support will also go towards improving acai berry production and the sustainable management of pirarucu, the Amazon’s largest freshwater fish. Just like with rubber, supporting sustainable harvesting of berries and fish can ease the pressure on forests by giving people a viable source of income.

You can read more about some of the people we’re working with here.