Agroforestry symbiosis: Brazilian yerba mate tea cultivation system selected as a global agricultural cultural heritage
According to reports from the Brazilian website "Notícias ao Minuto" and the United Nations official website, in Brazil, yerba mate is brewed in two ways. Among them, brewing with hot water and drinking in a special container is called "chimarrão", and brewing with cold water is "tereré". In addition to southern Brazil, this drink is also popular in South American countries such as Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.
The yerba mate planting ecology recognized by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization is located in Paraná State, which is a shaded agroforestry system under the Araucaria forest. This system can be traced back to the traditional planting customs of the ancestors of the indigenous people in southern Brazil and has been passed down for more than 500 years. The FAO pointed out that these technical methods have set a global example for sustainable forest management and the continuation of traditional culture.
The FAO emphasized that this system strengthens biodiversity, food sovereignty and cultural identity, while also helping to protect one of the most fragile habitats for biodiversity on the planet - the Araucaria forest. In such an area severely affected by deforestation, only Only 1% of the native vegetation remains, and the system provides a rare example of ecological agriculture, which not only protects forest coverage, but also maintains the livelihoods of local farmers and preserves cultural heritage.
In this planting system, more than 100 species of plants coexist with yerba mate. Many farmers deliberately retain local fruit trees, medicinal plants and forage grasses, combining ecological functions with daily life. This system also protects the wild relatives of many crops (their ancestral species and plant groups with close genetic relationships) and the genetic diversity of yerba mate itself, which helps to improve their adaptability to climate change and emerging pests and diseases.
In addition, the products of this planting system are mainly sold through local agricultural cooperatives, providing farmers with decent employment opportunities and helping them better integrate into regional and national value chains.
It is reported that this is the second planting system in Brazil to be included in the list of globally important agricultural cultural heritage. As early as 2020, the Serra da Espinhaço in Minas Gerais State (Serra da Espinhaço do Espinhaço, Minas Gerais) was also selected. Based on a deep understanding of natural cycles and local plant ecology, local farmers have developed a complex agricultural system called the "Evergreen Flower Collection System", which has achieved a high degree of harmonious coexistence between man and nature.
In addition to the yerba mate planting system, five other agricultural ecosystems have been identified as globally important agricultural cultural heritage sites, located in China, Mexico and Spain. Among them, there are three in China, namely the Shichuan Ancient Pear Garden System in Gaolan, Gansu, the Deqing Freshwater Pearl Compound Breeding System in Zhejiang, and the Fuding White Tea Culture System in Fujian. With the six newly added sites, the heritage list currently includes 95 systems in 28 countries and regions around the world.
