Chico Mendes

CNS - Conselho Nacional dos Seringueiros

WHAT IS CNS

National Rubber Tappers Council CNS It is a national organization that represents extraction workers and small farmers gathered in associations, cooperatives and unions. Its board of directors is composed of 27 different leaders of the small farmers and extraction workers from all the Amazonian states.

They are rubber latex tappers, collectors of palm tree nuts, babacu coconut crackers, workers in charge of agricultural and forest projects and medicine herbs and oil extraction workers.

The union of these groups is a result of the identification of common interest such as the imporvement of the quality of life, the sustainable use of the Amazon natural resources and the right to have a piece of land. The objectives are to organize the forest peoples, to rise awareness about the negative consequences of unsustainable development over the environment and to influence regional and federal public policies.

THE CNS ORIGIN

The National Rubber Tappers Council was fouded in October of 1985 after the First National Rubber Tappers meeting, held at the University of Brasilia.
The original idea is a result of the Chico Mendes untiring work leading the blocking of the forest destruction as well as of other initiatives in defense of the forest and in favor of the agrarian reform. The movement grew up as it began to integrate and represent all small farmers and extraction workers, struggling for their rights as genuine forest defenders, aware of its importance and its value.

WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION

The women’s participation has become very important. The present CNS direction has an Extraction_women Secretariat which organizes training for new leaders with following subject matters: Gender and Environment Protection, Gender and Familiar Farming, Gender and Leadership, Gender and Woman’s Rights.

WHY PARTICIPATING IN THE CNS

· To be part an organization that encourages extraction workers to stay where they belong, aware of their role as inspecton and forest conservation agent;
· To influence Brazilian public policies related to the production, processing and trading of extraction products, particularly of rubber products;
· To participate in major discussion with the Federal Government related to the demarcation of protected areas and extraction workes settlements, searching for a different settlement policy for the Amazon region;
· To act an active agent for the forest protection.

WHY SUPPORTING THE CNS

· To keep Chico Mendes ideas alive, turning into reality all the challenges presented by a sustainable development;
· To enhance the extraction worker’s cause and their proposal for a new development model for the Amazon region and for future generations;
· To help the implementation of an Ecological agrarian reform in the Amazon, through the creation of new extraction reserves (RESEX) and Extraction Settlement Projects (PAEs) aiming at the demarcation of at least 10% of the Amazon forest ecologically sustainable and economically productive;
· To guarantee the balance in development, biodiversity conservation and social justice.

HOW TO ORGANIZE A REGIONAL COORDINATION OF THE CNS

First step

Organization of a meeting with small farmers and extraction, workers, to rise awareness of the CNS objectives. Organization of a similar regional meeting with associations, cooperatives, rural credit institutions and unions.

Second step

Election of coordination with five members, for a three-year term and elaboration of a work plan involving local institutions and considering regional interests.

CNS ACHIEVEMENTS

· Creation of about 40 extraction reserves, totaling 5 million hectares of protected forests, benefiting more than 30 thousand families.

· Founding of 10 extraction settlement projects with about 1 million hectares, favoring more 3 thousand families. The CNS work reaches about 50 thousand square kilometers of the Amazon forest.

· Creation of the Extraction Development Supporting Program, a credit program of the Bank of Amazon (Basa).

· Construction of rubber processing mills managed by the rubber tapper cooperatives. Three already working and three being installed.

· Government subsidies for rubber prices.

· Founding of the Amazon Sympathy Program aimed at improving the rubber tappers economic and social conditions, encouraging, different uses of the forest resources, supporting trade actions, health initiatives, setting up sanitation, water supply and goods supplies.

WHAT ARE THE CNS GOALS

· To represent specific interests of rubber tappers, small farmers, other extraction workers and dwellers of the river banks in the Amazon region.

· To protect and to defend the Amazon forest.

· To struggle for the creation of a specific policy for the extraction products in Amazon, particularly for rubber products that meet those workers interests.

· To seek for a better quality of life allowing the access to heath care centers, school, cooperatives, basic structure and technological development and selfmanagement.

· To propose, plan and put into practice economic, social and cultural projects directed to the protection and the development of the extraction and agricultural economy.

· To integrate actions of indigenous populations, extraction workers and environmental and research institutions.

· To train human resources to defend the forest and the Amazon natives interests.

>>Click here for the complete list of organizations composing the committee (portugese)

Conselho Nacional dos Seringueiros
Estacionamento n° 12 - CEP 70610-300 - Brasília - DF, Brazil
Fone: (55 61) 322-9291 Telefax: (55 61) 323-4600 Celular: (55 61) 981-8848
e-mail: cns@brnet.com.br - www.cnsnet.org.br