Study Shows Plant-Based Agroforestry Could Double Rural Income in Brazil

A study presented at the COP30 summit in Belém has found that shifting from livestock farming to plant-based agroforestry in Brazil could significantly increase rural producers' income. The research, coordinated by ProVeg Brazil, shows that such a transition could boost net income by up to 110% per hectare, and in certain cases, up to 1,525%. Agroforestry systems not only generate higher income but also create more jobs, support family farming, reduce rural migration, and diversify income sources for producers.

Plant-based agroforestry systems are more land-efficient and require 12 times less land than livestock farming to achieve the same revenue, offering a solution to deforestation. The study emphasizes the need for stronger policy support to make plant-based agroforestry more accessible, with calls for increased funding for family farming initiatives and for agroforestry to be prioritized in national agricultural and climate policies. A pilot project in Paraná is currently testing the viability of this transition, replacing livestock with a plant-based agroforestry system to demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits in practice.