Historically, replacing the forest with activities related to agriculture and livestock has not resulted in a significant increase in the HDI (Human Development Index) of populations. In many cases, it leads to rural exodus, especially for young workers who seek activities with better wages and career prospects.
The use of technological innovations applied to timber and non-timber forest products is essential to reconcile socioeconomic prosperity with the conservation of natural resources in forested regions by increasing income generation and quality of life from conserved forest areas.
The Power of Bioeconomy in the Amazon
In the Amazon, Bioeconomy is a strong narrative due to the region’s vocation and the abundance of natural resources. This segment can be defined as production based on knowledge and use of biological resources, innovative biological processes, and principles to provide goods and services sustainably in all economic sectors.
In traditional sectors, such as forestry and agroindustry, it is clear how the bioeconomy can benefit the entire value chain. However, by combining the use of innovative and even disruptive technologies, it is possible to cover other sectors such as the textile, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries/ herbal medicine, paper, and packaging.
When sustainability and innovation meet
Multifunctional, healthy, and sustainably managed forests can provide the basis for innovative technologies and contribute to decarbonization. In the case of the timber industry, with sustainable management, it is possible to transform this resource into products with a lower carbon footprint. Some examples include the use in the construction industry of “Mass Timber”, known as “modified” wood, which can be used for large constructions, and is beginning to replace the use of concrete and steel in buildings. This material offers a low-carbon alternative that can reduce GHG (Greenhouse Gas) emissions in a typical mid-rise commercial building by 26%.
Another example of sustainable management of wood products and their by-products is forest-based textile materials, such as Lyocell, also known as Lyocell or Tencel, a fabric produced from cellulose or wood pulp. Lyocell is being used to reduce the carbon footprint of petroleum-based fabrics in the fashion industry, which is estimated to consume around 342 million barrels of oil a year. According to one study, “For every kilogram of carbon generated from petroleum-based textiles, 2.8 kilograms could be saved by replacing them with their forest-based counterparts.” In addition to this factor, another study shows that up to 20% of industrial wastewater pollution is caused by textile dyeing and finishing.
Currently, there are already natural alternatives for dyeing textile fibers, an innovative example is being developed by a company from Amazonas, Sioduhi Studio. This startup has developed a method of extraction and textile application of a natural dye based on cassava. The company is located in the municipality of São Gabriel da Cachoeira, which recently became the state capital of indigenous people, as it is considered the most indigenous city in Brazil. According to the company’s founder, Sioduhi Lima: “Sioduhi Studio is a company of indigenous and Amazonian origin. Thus, it was born with the responsibility and commitment to give visibility to the knowledge and sustainable practices adopted for centuries by the native peoples of the Rio Negro region, translating them and seeking to impact the fields of fashion and design.
Still young, less than three years old, the company has mainly impacted the insertion of indigenous professionals from different areas, such as in the fields of strategic planning, product development/innovation, audiovisual production, models, administrative management, and other areas. With Maniocolor technology, accelerated by Sebrae’s Inova Amazônia project in partnership with Beta-i Brasil, we brought the possibility of giving visibility and application of Traditional Agricultural Systems, such as Rio Negro, in the fashion and textile chain, as we produce a viable textile dyeing technology from the most widespread plant in these systems, cassava. We are currently expanding our vision and adjusting our Business Model to several other systems/territories within the legal Amazon. It is a way of sharing our history as original peoples and implementing innovations that generate a positive impact on the economy, on biodiversity, and on society at the present time.”
The Innova Amazônia Program
Bioeconomy is the engine of sustainable development in the Amazon, but it is not clear what role do traditional indigenous and non-indigenous communities play in the implementation of this economic model in the region. It is essential to integrate forest people into this discussion, traditional peoples know the value of the forest, a value that goes far beyond economic approaches – it is about the relationship between human beings and nature. The Inova Amazônia acceleration program, a SEBRAE initiative, with which Beta-i Brasil actively collaborated, is a generator of solutions such as those reported by Sioduhi, with a direct impact on the local economy and on the benefit of the Amazonian populations.
It is necessary to consciously innovate, stimulating sustainable businesses that adhere to the vocations of the region.
Learn more about the program here.
by Olinda Canhoto (PhD), Project Manager at Beta-i Brasil
References:
- Plataforma Brasileira de Biodiversidade e Serviços Ecossistêmicos. Sumário para tomadores de decisão: 1º diagnóstico brasileiro de biodiversidade e serviços ecossistêmicos / Plataforma Brasileira de Biodiversidade e Serviços Ecossistêmicos – 1. ed. – Campinas, SP: Edição do autor, 2018.
- Hetemäki, L., Kangas, J. (2022). Forest Bioeconomy, Climate Change and Managing the Change. In: Hetemäki, L., Kangas, J., Peltola, H. (eds) Forest Bioeconomy and Climate Change. Managing Forest Ecosystems, vol 42. Springer, Cham.
- https://www.ft.com/partnercontent/us-industrial-pellet-association/growing-the-forest-bioeconomy.html
- Leal Filho, W., Perry, P., Heim, H., Dinis, M.A.P., Moda, H., Ebhuoma, E. and Paço, A. 2022. An overview of the contribution of the textiles sector to climate change. Front. Environ. Sci.
- https://sioduhi.com/