Tropentag, September 10 - 12, 2025, Bonn "Reconciling land system changes with planetary health"

The Hileia Baiana: Enriched cabrucas as prospective areas for developing native seed banks and biodiversity conservation networks

Casa Torta Pirangi Sustainable Cocoa, Brazil

Abstract

In the State of Bahia, Brazil, a traditional cacao agroforestry system known as “cabruca” has been contributing to the preservation of the Atlantic Forest, one of the 25 world’s biodiversity hotspots. Cabruca is a diverse, dynamic and perennial system, more resilient to climate stressors than conventional farming systems. Cacao is cultivated under the canopy of big trees, home to native species, fostering ecological connectivity and species richness. Most cabrucas are located in a large territory which concentrates the highest diversity of species and plant endemism in the biome. The region was named “Hileia Baiana” on account of its similarity to the “Amazon Hileia”, designation given by the naturalist Alexander Von Humboldt to the biodiverse forests of the Amazon plains.
Casa Torta Pirangi is one agroecological farm located in the heart of the Hileia Baiana, where a cacao production area is being enriched using edible tree species native to the Atlantic Forest. The initiative aims to create seed banks within the cabruca environment as a strategy not only to engage farmers in ecological restoration, but also to disseminate knowledge, generate economic opportunities, and develop resilient food production systems. We propose to integrate the cabrucas to a network of seed guardians that includes farmers and indigenous people, supplying genetic material for reforestation. The use of agroforestry and regenerative agriculture practices in cacao farms provides valuable ecosystem services, particularly carbon sequestration, conservation of soils, biodiversity and water storage for agriculture and human consumption.

Keywords: Agroecology, agroforestry, biodiversity, cacao

Contact Address: Thiago Sabatinelli Rodrigues, Casa Torta Pirangi Sustainable Cocoa, Rua corais 3 morro da fumaça cumuruxatiba, 45983000 Prado, Brazil, e-mail: sabatinelligmail.com