Can agroforestry facilitate sustainability in yerba mate production? A synthesis of literature and recommendations through the lens of the UN SDGs.

https://utoronto.zoom.us/j/87824704335

Meeting ID: 878 2470 4335
Passcode: yerba

Yerba mate, or Ilex paraguariensis, is a culturally important plant in South America and a growing billion-dollar industry. The shrub’s leaves are used to brew a caffeinated tea which provides the drinker energy, antioxidants and nutrients; demand for the tea is rapidly expanding worldwide as a coffee alternative. However, present forms of monocrop yerba mate agriculture are contributing to poor economic and social outcomes for smallholder farmers and to widespread degradation of the biodiverse Atlantic Forest ecosystem. In this study, the use of agroforestry was examined as an effective way to ensure sustainable production of yerba mate as defined through four of the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals (UN SDGs) – to eliminate poverty, reduce hunger, mitigate climate change and sustainably manage forests and terrestrial ecosystems.  A review of existing literature identified gaps in the current research at the confluence of agroforestry and yerba mate agriculture specifically through an SDG lens. Relevant SDG goal and target pair interactions were assessed through the lens of yerba mate agroforestry (YM AFS), and syntheses and trade-offs were identified. Through this analysis, this review identifies barriers to successful agroforestry implementation in I. paraguariensis cultivation regions and makes recommendations to foster a more sustainable yerba mate trade.