After nearly three years of mobilizing local communities in the Araguaia region, the Black Jaguar Foundation hosted the 1st Ressemear Meeting – the BJF Araguaia Seed Network gathering in Santana do Araguaia, Pará – Brazil.
The meeting brought together seed collectors from Pará and Tocantins, the Black Jaguar Foundation team – founders and developers of the initiative – and representatives from Redário, the Xingu Seed Network, and external buyers.
The first day kicked off with introductions and inspirational talks from seasoned experts:
Eduardo Malta, a forest restoration specialist from the Socio-Environmental Institute (ISA) and Redário, shared insights into the development of seed networks across Brazil, setting the stage for discussions about Ressemear’s future.
Next, Cláudia Alves de Araújo from the Xingu Seed Network captivated us with the story of Brazil’s largest seed network, which celebrated 15 years of impactful work last year. What an inspiration!
We also celebrated the achievements of 2024 so far and recognized standout collectors for their exceptional contributions in quantity and variety of seeds collected. Take a look:
In the afternoon, the collectors visited the Black Jaguar Foundation’s nursery—where the magic happens! This is where many of the seeds they collect are transformed into seedlings or into rich muvuca mixes to restore areas of the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor.
We walked them through the seed-to-seedling process and got their hands dirty: they prepared a muvuca mix with over 30 native species they had collected, destined to restore 20 hectares this planting season!
The next day, we split the collectors into small groups for discussion circles to plan Ressemear’s next steps. We also hosted booths where collectors from AMA Cantão showcased products made from leftover fruit after seed collection.
This is a glimpse of the 1st Ressemear Meeting, made possible by your support! Thank you for believing in this project and helping us improve the lives of local communities in the Araguaia region. Together, we’re creating a brighter future!
