2024

Industry Highlight: Brazil Nuts & Amazon Rainforest

Production

Bertholletia excelsa is one of the most economically significant plants of the Amazon rainforest due to its edible seeds, Amazonia nuts —most commonly known as Brazil nuts, although the world's largest exporter is not Brazil but Bolivia. The Brazil nut tree can live for up to 1,000 years and is one of the tallest trees in the Amazon basin, reaching up to 50 m in height. Its straight, cylindrical, unbranched trunk has rough gray-brown bark with longitudinal fissures and its canopy can measure 20-30 m across.¹

Brazil nuts are harvested from natural forests. They are among the most important non-timber forest products and play an important role in the preservation of the Amazon rainforest. The nuts are an important source of income for local communities that depend directly or indirectly on the Brazil nut trade.¹

The fruit of the Brazil nut tree is a large, round capsule measuring 10-12 cm across, with a hard, woody capsule wall. Each capsule weighs 0.5-2.5 kg and contains 10-25 seeds, which have a hard shell and triangular shape, measuring about 3.5-5 cm long and 2 cm wide. The woody outer casing is so hard that only one animal, the agouti, can crack it open with its powerful jaws and sharp, chisel-like teeth. The survival of Brazil nut trees depends on the agouti, which helps with the dispersal of seeds, and on bees, which facilitate pollination.¹

Brazil nuts have a tender, rich and mild flavor. They can be consumed directly, as a snack, or used as an ingredient in baked goods, confectionery and spreads. They are also processed into oil for human consumption or for use in cosmetic products.¹

Because Brazil nuts are a wild crop, annual yield is variable and environmental factors such as temperature and rainfall can have a significant impact. At the same time, economic factors also have an impact on amount gathered: strong demand enables collectors to venture deeper into the Amazon rainforest to collect more nuts. The collection period ranges from January to April.¹

Although Bertholletia excelsa is found throughout the Amazon rainforest, all of the world’s traded production of Brazil nuts is concentrated in Bolivia, Peru and Brazil (Figure 1). Nearly 70% of the global supply comes from Bolivia’s Pando Department.

Figure 1. Brazil Nut Growing Areas

Global traded production of Brazil nuts averaged 27,600 metric tons (kernel basis) from 2019/20 to 2023/24 (Figure 2). Bolivia is the top producing country, with a five-year annual average crop of 20,440 MT (74% of global production), followed by Peru with 4,800 MT (17%) and Brazil with 2,320 MT (8%) (Figure 3). Strong demand in 2018/19 prompted harvesters to collect more nuts, leading to higher-than-usual production numbers for that season.

Figure 2. World Brazil Nut Production, Metric Tons
Source: INC.

Figure 3. Brazil Nut Production by Country, Kernel Basis, Metric Tons
Source: INC.

Trade

As local consumption is not significant in Bolivia and Peru, virtually all Brazil nuts produced in these two countries are traded. In contrast, there is some domestic consumption in Brazil, although exact figures are hard to come by.

According to data from the DESA/UNSD United Nations Comtrade Database, from 2018 to 2022, annual exports of shelled Brazil nuts from Bolivia, Peru and Brazil averaged 34,064 MT (Figure 4). Shipments from these three countries accounted for 78% of the global trade in shelled Brazil nuts over this period; re-exporters such as the European Union and the United States accounted for the remaining 22%.

Figure 4. Brazil Nut Exports by Country of Origin, Shelled, Metric Tons

Average exports of in-shell Brazil nuts from Bolivia, Peru and Brazil amounted to 8,374 MT between 2018 and 2022. During the same period, Brazil was the region’s leading in-shell exporter, with shipments averaging 7,304 MT, or 71% of the world total (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Brazil Nut Exports by Country of Origin, In-shell, Metric Tons

Peru and Bolivia are the world’s top importers of in-shell Brazil nuts, averaging 4,400 MT and 2,000 MT, respectively, between 2018 and 2022 (Figure 6). These imports, which originate in Brazil, are processed in Peru or Bolivia before being re-exported elsewhere as shelled product. China, the United States and the European Union round out the top five importers of in-shell Brazil nuts, averaging 600 MT, 560 MT and 300 MT, respectively, from 2018 to 2022.

The European Union is, by far, the top importer of shelled Brazil nuts, averaging 15,800 MT between 2018 and 2022. The second destination for shelled nuts over the same period was the United States with 6,300 MT, followed by the United Kingdom with 3,800 MT, South Korea with 2,800 MT and Australia with 1,000 MT.

Figure 6. Top Destinations of Brazil Nuts from Bolivia, Peru and Brazil, Average 2018-2022, Metric Tons
Source: DESA/UNSD United Nations Comtrade Database.

Reference

1. INC Brazil Nuts Technical Information Kit and references quoted therein.

by Admin

New Product Launches: Brazil Nuts

Brazil nuts, known for their distinctive flavor and texture, are cropping up everywhere. Beyond culinary use, these versatile nuts have found a place in cosmetics, showcasing their diverse applications. Consumers across the globe are incorporating these majestic nuts into their diets and beauty routines. Read on to discover some of the latest products containing Brazil nuts to hit the market.

Trader Joe’s Brazil Nut Body Wash

USA

Following in the footsteps of the supermarket chain’s popular Brazil Nut Body Butter and Body Scrub, this new body wash nourishes the skin with Bertholletia excelsa seed oil.

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/brazil-nut-body-wash-076047

Pi’y Brazil Nuts

UK

A new direct trade relationship brings these wild-harvested nuts directly from the Kayapó people of Brazil to the UK for the first time.

https://hodmedods.co.uk/products/piy-brazil-nuts

Mac Nut Kiki Milk

USA

This decadent, delicious, creamy drink is made from a nourishing blend of organic Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts and cashews.

https://www.kikimilk.com/products/mac-nut-kiki-milk-32-fl-oz-pack-of-6

Quret Beauty Recipe Nourishing Brazil Nut Mask

South Korea

Pamper your skin every day with this nourishing face mask made from natural ingredients, with no animal ingredients and no animal testing.

https://m.quret.co.kr/product/detail.html?product_no=35&cate_no=42&display_group=1

Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream

USA

With guaraná, cupuaçu butter, coconut oil, açaí oil and, of course, Brazil nuts, this body cream taps into the natural goodness of the Amazon rainforest.

https://soldejaneiro.com/products/brazilian-bum-bum-cream

GoodSAM Raw & Unsalted Organic Brazil Nuts

USA

These Brazil nuts come from the Bolivian rainforest and provide a sustainable income for the communities collecting the nuts.

https://goodsamfoods.com/products/organic-brazil-nuts-raw-and-unsalted

by Admin

Brazil Nuts: The Hidden Gems of the Amazon Rainforest

Prof. Salo Coslovsky

Salo Coslovsky is Associate Professor at the Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service at New York University. He is an affiliated researcher with Amazônia 2030, where he examines opportunities to promote forest-friendly economic development in the Amazon.

Brazil nuts are the most iconic of all forest-friendly products from the Amazon but their sustainability and fascinating backstory often go unnoticed by consumers. To ensure broader recognition and help this remarkable nut reach its full potential, it is essential to promote awareness and invest in marketing.

Business Insider, an online media company, publishes a captivating video series that examines “the real reasons why the world’s priciest products are so expensive.” Many of the products that it showcases are specialty foods, including saffron from Kashmir, nutmeg from India, huitlacoche from Mexico, truffles from Italy and cinnamon from Sri Lanka.

Each of these products is special, but they also share some features related to the way they are obtained. First of all, their production is labor-intensive and cannot be mechanized. Most of these foods are delicate or perishable. More importantly, they are strongly associated with a place and its terroir in a way that both restricts output and shields them from competition.

Brazil nuts have not been featured in any of those Business Insider videos yet, maybe because they are not all that expensive, but they are equally if not more extraordinary than any of the products mentioned above.

Every single Brazil nut kernel traded internationally is harvested from the wild in the Amazon, typically in remote locations, and often by members of indigenous groups or other forest-based communities that not only live in protected areas but actively defend them from illegal loggers and other threats. Many of these people spend weeks walking through narrow footpaths to go from tree to tree, collecting the fruits and extracting their edible seeds entirely by hand.

The trees are marvels to behold. Tall and slender, many of them are older than celebrated European cathedrals, such as the Duomo in Milan or Notre-Dame in Paris. Some archaeologists believe that denser stands of old-growth Brazil nut trees were nurtured by members of ancient indigenous civilizations that deliberately shaped the vegetation that we see in the Amazon today. Crucially, the crop grows without pesticides, fertilizer, irrigation or any other human intervention. Rather, all the tree really needs is to be surrounded by the native forest, so its tightly-coiled flowers can be pollinated by large-bodied orchid bees.

These traits are not well known by the public in general. In most places, Brazil nuts are sold without any indication of their wild provenance and the tree’s role as protector of the Amazon. Instead of being lauded for their sustainability, Brazil nuts have been shunned for containing compounds that could be dangerous to human health. In the United States, for example, consumers are cautioned about their selenium content and advised to limit consumption to a few kernels a day. Even if selenium is a crucial trace element, it can be hazardous if consumed in excess, so the advice seems reasonable. But is it based on solid evidence? A quick review of the medical literature surfaces no case of someone who fell ill after eating too many Brazil nuts. There are cases of people who got sick after taking too many selenium pills, and a few cases of individuals who fell ill after eating too many paradise nuts —but that’s a different plant, with 500 times more selenium than its distant cousin. Further, many people eat foods rich in selenium without ill effects. One Pacific oyster, for example, contains 70% of the daily selenium intake recommended for an adult. Still, many people eat them by the dozen. It seems clear that more research is needed and findings must be disseminated more widely.

Producers and processors of other edible nuts have acquired the means to invest in research, advocacy and promotion. In the United States, for example, the Almond Board of California commands an annual budget of $80 million,¹ followed by the California Walnut Board and Commission with US$40 million,² while the American Pistachio Growers obtains close to US$17 million.³

But where is the Brazil Nut Association (BNA)? At one time, one did exist. The original BNA was created in 1934 by an alliance of food importers based in the East Coast of the United States. It was funded through a surcharge of US$4.00 per ton of Brazil nuts imported into that country (equivalent to about US$50.00 today) and the money was used to promote Brazil nuts among American consumers. Among other initiatives, the BNA printed recipe books, commissioned newspaper and TV ads, and provided retail displays. In 1935, for example, the BNA spent US$30,000 (equivalent to US$650,000 today) to distribute a booklet containing “recipes you have never tried” that incorporated Brazil nuts. After this release, requests for Brazil nuts reportedly “poured in,” causing “practically the entire supply of Brazil nuts in the United States” to sell out. The BNA remained active for 30 years, but it stopped operating around 1965, likely due to a legal vulnerability dating back to its creation.

It is now time for Brazil nut enterprises around the world to once again promote their product in a forward-looking way. Such an organization could support a concerted effort to deepen our knowledge about the nutritional content of Brazil nuts and how this might vary depending on location. It could foster traceability so customers would know what they are buying. It could encourage forest-based communities to emulate their ancestors and plant Brazil nut seedlings as part of ongoing efforts to restore the Amazon. It could even suggest that Brazil nuts replace credits in the voluntary market for carbon, as each nut is incontestable evidence of continued forest preservation. Above all, it should convey the remarkable story of how Brazil nuts help protect the Amazon and the globe.

Recipe book produced by the Brazil Nut Association. Photo: Salo Coslovsky.

Ad placed by the Brazil Nut Association in a US-based magazine. Photo: Salo Coslovsky.

Paper mask from 1940 featuring “Kernel Nut of Brazil,” the anthropomorphic character invented by the Brazil Nut Association to represent Brazil nuts. Photo: Salo Coslovsky.

References

1. Almond Board of California, FY2018/19 BOD App’d Budget (Objective Est.) and FY 2017/18 Actual Financials. https://www.almonds.com/sites/default/files/FY18-19%20Annual%20Budget_0.pdf
2. Executive Director and CEO, California Walnut Board & Commission. https://walnuts.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/CWB_CWC_PS.pdf
3. American Pistachio Growers 2022 Annual Report. https://apgpower.americanpistachios.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/APG-2022-Annual-Report.pdf

by Admin

Targeted Breeding Innovations in Nut Tree Cultivars

Photo: Prof. Kourosh Vahdati.

Prof. Kourosh Vahdati

Professor of Horticulture, Department of Horticulture, College of Agricultural Technology (College of Aburaihan), University of Tehran, Iran. Prof. Kourosh Vahdati specializes in innovative solutions for challenging nut tree cultivation. He has consulted and managed commercial tissue culture labs and orchards, and introduced successful propagation protocols, demonstrating his commitment to sustainability.

In a chapter titled “Cultivars and Genetic Improvement” in the recent book Temperate Nuts, Prof. Vahdati and colleagues outline the main breeding objectives for temperate tree nuts and the various conventional and molecular strategies used to achieve these objectives. This article addresses recent cultivar development, emphasizing regional preferences and performance, particularly for walnut, hazelnut, pistachio, pecan and almond trees.

The demand for nut production has significantly increased due to the high economic value of nuts and their ease of storage and handling. This surge in demand, along with the necessity of developing nut trees for diverse climate conditions and to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change, has led to the implementation of multiple nut tree breeding programs worldwide. These programs aim to develop cultivars and rootstocks resilient to environmental stressors such as drought, heat and pests while maintaining high yields and superior nut quality.

Walnut

Walnut breeding programs globally have introduced a variety of new cultivars to meet the evolving needs of walnut growers. Notable additions include UC Wolfskill and Durham in the United States. UC Wolfskill shares similarities with Chandler in terms of yield, quality and color. Its high yield, early harvest, light kernel color, thin shell and adaptability to various climates have made it a market favorite. Durham, with a harvest date 10 days earlier than Chandler, produces jumbo-sized walnuts with light-colored kernels. This variety is known for its mid-season harvest, good yield, large nuts and light kernel color, positioning it alongside established cultivars like Howard, Tulare and Chandler. In France, new walnut cultivars such as Feradam, Ferbel, Fertignac and Ferouette stand out for their high yield, lateral bearing, thin shell, extra light kernel color and other desirable traits. New cultivars from China such as Xin2, Xin185 and Xiangling offer features such as moderate to high yield, lateral bearing, thin shell, early leafing, light kernel color and early harvest. However, their thin shell and lack of shell seal make them unsuitable for mechanical harvesting. In Iran, newly released Persia and Caspian showcase high yield, lateral bearing, late leafing, extra light kernel color and medium to early harvest.

Hazelnut

In Oregon, cultivars such as McDonald, Yamhill, Sacajawea, Jefferson, Dorris, Wepster, PollyO, Theta and Thompson have gained popularity for their resistance to diseases like Eastern filbert blight (EFB), bud mites and aphids. However, a new aggressive strain of EFB is infecting resistant hazelnut varieties in the Oregon and Pacific Northwest hazelnut industry, leading to increased surveillance and management efforts. The new Oregon-released varieties are currently undergoing field trials in Europe and Chile, where EFB is less of a concern. McDonald is favored for its EFB resistance, high yield and quality, while Yamhill has seen success in Chile and the US for its high yield, excellent kernel quality and EFB resistance, among other qualities. Varieties like Jefferson, Dorris, Wepster, PollyO and Theta offer reliable yields, good nut sizes and pest resistance. Thompson, tailored for high-density orchards, exhibits high resistance to EFB. However, older cultivars such as Barcelona, Daviana, Tonda di Giffoni and Tonda Pacifica face challenges due to disease susceptibility. Barcelona is now considered obsolete in Oregon due to its vulnerability to EFB. Daviana is outdated, Tonda di Giffoni struggles with moldy kernels and Tonda Pacifica is not favored due to its susceptibility to EFB. While Tonda Pacifica suits Europe's blanched and roasted kernel market, its nuts are too small for the in-shell market. Tonda Francescana is gaining demand for its large nuts, high yield and excellent flavor in Europe, though it is still undergoing field trials in the US and Chile.

Pistachio

Advancements in breeding have led to the development of pistachio cultivars with higher yield, earlier harvest and better green kernel color. Rootstock development has focused on tolerance to soil-borne diseases, salinity and water stress. These developments have been instrumental in expanding pistachio cultivation to regions with challenging growing conditions. The new male and female pistachio cultivars are synchronized in their bloom periods, ensuring optimal pollination and fruit set. The Randy male variety is characterized by early flowering with a long bloom period, while Famoso produces a large quantity of pollen and has a bloom synchronized with Kerman. Lost Hills and Golden Hills, the newest California pistachio cultivars, have higher yields and earlier harvest and disease resistance. Lost Hills has large nuts and improved resistance to Botryosphaeria. Golden Hills has higher yields and early splitting, medium-sized nuts. In Iran, most growers cultivate the local cultivars Akbari, Ahmad Aghaei, Ohadi and Kaleh Ghoochi. In Türkiye, Kirmizi, Uzun, Halebi and Siirt are the major pistachio cultivars. The new Turkish cultivars Tekin and Akinci have higher yield and splitting rate than Siirt. Pistachio production has traditionally been under unirrigated conditions in Türkiye. However, in the past two decades, orchards have been irrigated, necessitating the need for new, suitable varieties.

Pecan

Several new pecan cultivars have recently been released in the US, each with unique characteristics and target markets. Pueblo is early-producing and well-suited for higher-density planting. Seneca is prized for its cream-colored kernels and adaptability to northern climates. Zuni is known for its disease resistance and large, well-filled kernels. Avalon and Kalos are both known for their scab resistance and high productivity, with Kalos offering larger, higher-quality nuts and a higher kernel yield. Zinner and Avalon are relatively new cultivars showing promise, with Zinner offering excellent nut quality, consistent production and good scab resistance, while Avalon boasts good precocity, stability in production and resistance to scab. Both cultivars provide potential solutions for growers looking to reduce input costs and maintain quality in pecan production in the Southeast. Among the older cultivars, Wichita is one of the most widely planted cultivars, known for its medium-sized nuts with a high percent kernel and good fill, but it is extremely susceptible to scab and water-stage split. Pawnee stands out for its large nut size and very early nut maturity. Choctaw produces thin-shelled nuts with a high oil content and rich flavor, ripening in late fall. Mahan is recognized for its large nut size and thin shell. Western requires a dry climate to lower the risk of scab disease and is considered low-maintenance in the right conditions. Desirable is a high-quality cultivar known for its large nuts and consistent crops, but it requires intensive fungicide protection due to its susceptibility to scab. Lakota requires significant management, such as thinning the nuts and addressing vivipary issues, making it a more challenging choice for growers due to its tendency for alternate bearing.

Almond

In the US, leading old cultivars include Nonpareil, Monterey, Independence, Butte and Carmel. Sweetheart was released later with mid-blooming and resistance to postharvest damage. Liberty offers high productivity and late harvest. Pyrenees is praised for its flavor and production. Yorizane, is self-compatible and comparable to Nonpareil. In France, Ferragnes is a popular self-incompatible variety known for its quality nuts. The newer self-compatible variety Lauranne offers versatility with its hard shell and big kernels. In Spain, Tardona and Mardia, with ultra-late flowering and self-compatibility, are valuable additions for orchards needing late blooming traits. Penta is another late-flowering variety (blooming a bit earlier than Tardona) that is very productive. Other self-compatible Spanish cultivars like Macao, Vairo, Marta, Marinada and Soleta provide growers with options suited to different conditions. Marinada is a highly productive, late flowering and very precocious variety. The Spanish cultivars of Florida and Alaska are self-compatible, soft-shelled and highly productive. Both cultivars have attractive kernels, with Florida ripening early and Alaska ripening later than Nonpareil. Most recently, two late-flowering cultivars named Saba and Aydin have been released in Iran.

Acknowledgment

Appreciation is extended to those involved in the research and development of these cultivars, whose work underpins the ongoing success and innovation within the nut industry. I also would like to express my gratitude to Asaad Habibi for his valuable assistance. Additionally, I extend my appreciation to Shawn Mehlenbacher, Pedro Martinez Gomez, Xinwang Wang, Lu Zhang, Charles Leslie, Louise Ferguson and Salih Kafkas for their help in pre-reviewing the characteristics of the nut cultivars.

Sources

Vahdati, K., Arab, M. M., & Sarikhani, S. (2020). Advances in biotechnology and propagation of nut trees in Iran. In BIO Web of Conferences (Vol. 25, p. 01003). EDP Sciences.

Vahdati, K., Sarikhani, S., Arab, M. M., Leslie, C. A., Dandekar, A. M., Aletà, N., ... & Mehlenbacher, S. A. (2021). Advances in rootstock breeding of nut trees: objectives and strategies. Plants, 10(11), 2234.

Vahdati, K., Sheikhi, A., Arab, M. M., Sarikhani, S., Habibi, A., & Ataee, H. (2023). Cultivars and Genetic Improvement. In Temperate Nuts (pp. 79-111). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore.

by Admin

Boosting Macadamia Nut Production Sustainably Through Smart Orchard Design

Mina Anders
PhD student at the University of Göttingen, Germany. After completing her studies in biology and ecology in Leipzig, she began her research on bees in South African macadamia orchards, where she is investigating the needs and behaviour of pollinators in order to increase the yield and nut quality of macadamias in an environmentally friendly way.

Prof. Dr. Catrin Westphal
DFG Heisenberg Professor for Functional Agrobiodiversity at the University of Göttingen. Member of the steering committee of the Centre for Sustainable Land Use. Member of the nature conservation advisory board of the Göttinger Land & Südharz Ecological Station.

Prof. Dr. Ingo Grass
Head of the Department of Ecology of Tropical Agricultural Systems at the University of Hohenheim. Equal Opportunities Officer of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences. Deputy Director of the Hans-Ruthenberg Institute for Tropical Agricultural Sciences.

Traditional farming methods have often harmed the environment and reduced biodiversity. To combat these issues, we need more sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural practices. Bees, which are essential for pollination, play a crucial role in growing many of the world's crops, including macadamia nuts. Finding eco-friendly ways to increase pollination and nut production is vital for environmentally conscious agriculture.

In a recent study conducted in South Africa,¹ our team explored how we can enhance pollination services for macadamia nut trees without breaking the bank. We observed the insects that visit macadamia flowers to find out what increased their number and how their visits affect nut production. Further, we experimentally excluded the pollinators from some flowers with mesh bags in order to see what would happen if there were no pollinators on the flowers at all, and artificially pollinated other flowers by hand to simulate nearly perfect pollination. We did this at two key stages: early nut formation (3 to 5 weeks after flowering), to evaluate pollination success, and later nut development (18 to 20 weeks after flowering), to see how final yields were impacted.

Macadamia trees, as mass flowering plants, are highly dependent on effective pollination. The study showed that insect pollination of the flowers significantly increased both early and final nut production —by 304% and 23%, respectively, compared to the exclusion of pollinators. However, even with insect pollination, there was still room for improvement in nut production, as hand pollination boosted yields by a remarkable 737% for early nuts and 367% for final nuts. This illustrates the potential for improving the pollination performance of insects.

Honeybees proved to be the most important pollinators of macadamia flowers in the farms observed and were responsible for 95% of all flower visits (Figure 1). Interestingly, it was not only the number of managed honeybee colonies that was decisive, but also the presence of natural habitats, such as uncultivated areas with shrubs and trees in the surrounding landscape. These habitats proved to be a more influential factor in increasing these visits than the honeybee colonies. We hypothesized that many of these honeybees were wild and originated from the surrounding habitats. Moreover, we were surprised to find that common agricultural practices such as irrigation did not significantly increase nut production.

So, how can we improve pollination services? The solution does not require additional resources after the orchard is planted. It lies in the smart design of the orchards:

1. Changing the row orientation: Traditional macadamia orchards are arranged in rows of trees (Figure 2). However, the study found that, when an orchard is adjacent to a natural habitat, a perpendicular arrangement to the edge of the orchard results in a more than threefold increase in early nut production compared to parallel rows (Figure 3A). As most of the bees in the orchards originate from the neighbouring natural habitat, this arrangement makes it easier for them to fly into the orchard, because they prefer to follow the rows of trees instead of crossing them. Thus, on average, we found almost twice as many honeybees on the macadamia flowers in orchards with perpendicular rows compared to orchards with parallel rows.
2. Mixing macadamia varieties: The study showed that the initial nut set was larger in orchard blocks with three or more varieties (an average of 4.8 nuts per raceme) than in blocks with only one or two macadamia varieties (an average of 2-2.7 nuts per raceme) (Figure 3B). This difference was slightly lower for the final nut set. In many crops, cross-pollination between different varieties is known to increase the fruit set. This effect has also been observed in macadamia. This is where the honeybees come in: their important role as insect pollinators is to transport pollen between trees of different varieties. The variety investigated in our study was Pahala (also known as 788), a very common macadamia variety in the region.

The study strongly emphasizes the importance of pollination services for successful macadamia nut production. Through thoughtful orchard planning and utilizing the natural landscape surrounding the orchards, we can increase nut production without additional agricultural inputs. This research highlights the potential for ecological intensification through these smart design choices and the preservation of natural habitats. Recognizing the essential role of pollinators and introducing design measures that support their work not only boosts nut production but also contributes to the conservation of vital natural habitats. This approach is an important step towards a more sustainable and environmentally conscious future for agriculture.

Figure 2. Examples of macadamia tree rows oriented parallel or perpendicular to the edge of the natural habitat. Google Earth Pro, 2020. Image © 2020 Maxar Technologies.

Figure 3. A) Effect of macadamia tree row orientation towards the natural habitat at the orchard edges on the initial nut set (3 to 5 weeks after flowering) and B) effect of the number of varieties in the macadamia block on the initial nut set.

Top photo: Mina Anders.

Reference

1. Anders, M., Grass, I., Linden, V. M. G., Taylor, P. J., & Westphal, C. (2023). Smart orchard design improves crop pollination. Journal of Applied Ecology, 60, 624–637.

by Admin

Achieving Sustainable Management and Efficient Use of Water Resources Through Groundwater Recharge and Outreach

Given the need to maintain a healthy agricultural economy in the face of variable weather, and to increase water storage in California’s aquifers, the Almond Board of California (ABC) undertook an ambitious groundwater recharge program. This project was a finalist for the 2023 INC Excellence in Sustainability Award.

California’s variable climate compounded by the effects of climate change has long been a concern for permanent crops such as almonds. Given that groundwater provides up to 60% of agricultural water supplies in dry years, and must support agricultural, environmental and urban demands, there is a strong public benefit in maintaining healthy aquifers.

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) estimates the total storage capacity in California’s aquifers at somewhere between 1.05 billion and 1.6 billion megaliters. In comparison, surface storage from all the major reservoirs in California is less than 62 million megaliters.

Given limited opportunities to develop new surface water reservoirs, groundwater recharge into aquifers can provide at least 10 times the storage of California’s largest reservoirs, at a much lower expense. Recharge also provides a significant means of controlling the effects of flooding in years where there are excessive storm systems, protecting many of the rural communities that are at increased risk of severe economic impact.

Given the significant opportunity and necessity of increasing recharge to maintain a healthy agricultural economy in the face of variable weather, and to increase water storage in California’s aquifers, ABC launched a recharge program focused on several goals: researching the role of working lands and almond orchards in increasing recharge; developing guidance for growers on how to do recharge; promoting recharge policies and incentives; demonstrating success with pilot projects that expand recharge opportunities and secure surface water supplies for recharge; and developing partnerships to create synergies for these goals.

The California almond industry (in partnership with the NGO Sustainable Conservation and researchers from the University of California) began research in 2015 to test the efficacy and safety of recharge in dormant almond orchards. The results showed that diverting excess water to almond orchards during the dormant season provided a significant opportunity to replenish depleted groundwater reserves, resulting in environmental, drinking water and climate resilience benefits with no negative impacts.

With the knowledge that orchards would not be negatively impacted, ABC launched an effort to put this research into practice with the development of a grower guide that would introduce recharge to growers who are faced with navigating complicated regulatory and permitting requirements in California. The guide, published and released at the 2021 Almond Conference, was the first of its kind to explain in depth to growers of any crop how they could support healthy aquifers based on their ecosystem through on-farm recharge. The guide has garnered significant attention, and has been distributed and used in numerous grower outreach efforts.

The ABC grower guide was the first to explain in depth to growers of any crop how they could support healthy aquifers through on-farm recharge.

The recharge guide and associated attention from regulatory and public audiences has created widespread almond grower awareness of the importance of this practice for water supply efficiency, resiliency, soil heath and flood mitigation. The solid foundation of research, grower guidance and NGO partnership created considerable synergies and encouraged grower support through government investments in recharge. A new grower incentive program was launched in 2022 by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to promote recharge in selected areas of the San Joaquin Valley. This pilot has since been expanded and appears on track to become a standard practice available to all growers.

DWR began a recharge pilot along the iconic Merced River (one of two large rivers that originate in the Yosemite Valley) with ABC’s partner NGO, showcasing the importance of recharge as a way to store water given the expected decline of snowpack due to climate change. This pilot is being expanded into other watersheds in the San Joaquin Valley and is anticipated to provide immediate benefits, potentially mitigating some of the flooding that is anticipated in 2023 given this year’s record snowfall.

For both the NRCS incentives and the DWR pilot, the ABC research and guide have provided a proof point for participating almond growers, building confidence in the safety, viability, opportunity and benefit of using their working lands and orchards for recharge.

Evolving climate conditions, extreme weather events and regulatory priorities are placing increased burdens on growers to find ways of producing food in an unpredictable environment. The record-breaking precipitation in early 2023, which followed a series of multi-year droughts in California, brought recharge to the forefront as the industry grappled with identifying options to farm under evolving growing conditions. Widespread flooding brought into sharp focus how working lands can be a solution for not only replenishing aquifers and addressing water scarcity but also helping to alleviate uncontrolled flooding, which can devastate rural communities.

The work by ABC served a significant role in helping growers prepare for the winter storms. Among the important outcomes of this initiative has been the fact that (1) recharge has become a central state policy to address the significant water supply challenges; and (2) regulatory burdens were reduced in the form of streamlined permitting by the state to enable growers to more quickly respond to 2023 flooding events.

ABC’s guidance document, partnership with government and NGO partners, and grower outreach are now having a broader impact, as growers across multiple commodities explore and even embrace recharge. This has helped ensure growers and almond orchards will be part of the solution, contributing to healthy ecosystems, mitigating water scarcity and helping rural communities avoid devastating natural disasters caused by flooding. In the end, this ultimately helps ensure sustainable practices are available that support a stable food supply and the rural communities where food is grown.

For more information, see the ABC groundwater recharge guide: https://www.almonds.com/sites/default/files/2021-12/WO-6177_ABC_GroundwaterRecharge_Web_SinglePage.pdf

Almond grower Christine Gemperle opens the water supply gate from a canal on her farm to flood dormant almond orchards and perform groundwater recharge using stormwater. Photo courtesy of the Almond Board of California.

Groundwater recharge on agricultural land provides multiple benefits including relieving downstream flooding, improving supplies for nearby drinking water wells, and improving agricultural water supply reliability. Photo courtesy of the Almond Board of California.

by Admin