Seeds of Hope

The Cerrado in Brazil is the most biodiverse savannah on the planet, home to 5% of the world’s species and 137 species threatened with extinction. It’s also hugely important to people – providing 40% of Brazil’s freshwater and home to 25 million people.​ 

But habitat loss is destroying the Cerrado. An enormous 6 million hectares of native vegetation have been lost in the last 10 years – that's three times the size of Wales. Less than 20% of native vegetation in the Cerrado is undisturbed by human activity. This has been accelerated by large-scale agriculture to produce soy, corn and cotton. 

One local organisation, Cerrado de Pé Association, is working towards changing the perception of restoration and conservation in the region. 

Cerrado de Pé focuses on seed collection and restoration. In the last five years, they have collected 29 tons of seeds, positively impacting the lives of over 100 families. Seed collection offers a source of income which has enabled some families to invest in education for their children.  

In July 2022, Cerrado de Pé alongside WWF-Brazil and Reckitt (in partnership with WWF-UK), trained 30 families to collect 2 tonnes of seeds needed for the large-scale restoration of the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park.