The invisible babassu economy and its importance for livelihoods in agro-extractivist communities

Abstract Babassu (Attalea speciosa Mart. ex Spreng) kernels are one of Brazil's main non-timber forest products. Secondary forests of babassu palms are located in the transition zone that connects the Brazilian Eastern Amazon, the central-western savannas and the semi-arid Northeast. This area holds one of the most significant populations of rural workers in the country. Although data is available on commercial production of babassu palm kernels, a wide range of products derived from this palm are ignored by official surveys. In order to fill in this gap, this study examined the economic importance of products derived from the babassu palm in 200 agro-extractive communities in the Mearim River Valley in the state of Maranhão, the main productive region. Projections utilizing a 2017 socioeconomic survey applied in over one thousand households in 18 municipalities in the Mearim Valley indicate that the monetary value of babassu products in this area alone approaches R$ 100 million, three times the disclosed value of the kernels. It is important to understand the economic importance of babassu products in order to develop tools not only to strengthen this economy, but also improve conservation of babassu forests and the well-being of agro-extractive communities.