ARCC Vice President Naia Andrade Explores Vanilla's Role in Amazon Conservation
In 2024, Naia Andrade, Vice President of ARCC, joined the Darwin 200 project, a group of explorers retracing Charles Darwin’s journey aboard a Dutch tall ship. During her travels, she visited Madre de Dios, Peru's southernmost Amazon region, to better understand the vanilla orchid.
While most people are familiar with artificial vanilla flavoring, few realize it originates from the pod of Vanilla planifolia, an orchid species native to Mexico. Peru is home to about 20 unique vanilla species, each with its own distinct flower and aroma.
In Episode 1 of The Land of Vanilla is the Land of Gold, Naia explains the threats to this beautiful orchid and its ecosystem.
Vanilla in Peru faces a significant challenge: it grows in areas where illegal gold mining is rampant. This activity, which drives 60% of the region's economy, devastates forests and pollutes water with mercury. Although mining provides short-term profits, it leaves the land barren and unproductive for future generations. Meanwhile, in Ecuador, mining activities are expanding, posing similar threats to both the vanilla habitat and local communities.
Our guide, Daxs, believes vanilla is the "green gold" the Amazon needs. While vanilla is valuable, it struggles to compete with the short-term gains from gold mining. However, sustainable vanilla farming could offer a long-term solution, encouraging forest preservation while supporting local economies.
In Episode 2, Naia explains why vanilla and gold inhabit the same place, and what can be done to conserve these forests.
Throughout our journey, we grew more fascinated by vanilla’s potential. Yet, despite its economic value, we found that vanilla products were almost nonexistent in local shops, airports, and hotels. This underutilization of such a valuable resource was surprising. While some vanilla farming methods, like monoculture, are unsustainable, others support forest conservation.
In Episode 3, Daxs shows us how sustainable farming practices can help protect the rainforest. By embracing and valuing vanilla, we can ensure that future generations benefit from both the forests and the aromatic plants they sustain.
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