Araticum project recognized by UN for Cerrado restoration

The United Nations has recognized the Brazilian initiative ‘Araticum – Restauração do Cerrado Brasileiro’ as a World Restoration Flagship. The announcement was made during the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP17 UNCCD).

With this recognition, Brazil becomes the only country to hold two World Restoration Flagship titles. The Araticum project focuses on restoring the Cerrado, one of the world’s most biodiverse tropical savannas, which faces significant pressure from land conversion, climate change, and desertification.

The initiative involves over 180 organizations and works across several Brazilian states, including the Distrito Federal, Maranhão, Piauí, Tocantins, Bahia, Goiás, Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso, and Mato Grosso do Sul. The project utilizes the expertise of traditional communities to collect seeds from over 150 native species and implement ‘agrocerratense’ systems, which integrate agricultural practices with native vegetation.

Currently, the project has restored more than 27,000 hectares, with an ambitious goal to reach 2 million hectares by 2030. The restoration efforts aim to improve water infiltration and ecosystem resilience, providing benefits for food security and local employment.