Global Voices · May 31, 2026

The Seed Guardian of Brazil’s Caatinga

Geraldo Gomes, a farmer in Serranópolis de Minas, Brazil, acts as a dedicated guardian of heirloom seeds, preserving over 200 varieties.
His work promotes agroecology in the semi-arid Caatinga biome, directly countering the rise of monoculture and pesticide reliance.
With support from regional coalitions like the Semi-arid Network (ASA), he is currently working to transform his seed house into a formal museum to ensure future generations have access to native biodiversity.

Gomes maintains a collection of seeds—some preserved for over 100 years—including over 70 types of beans, multiple corn varieties, and medicinal plants.
He practices traditional seed saving and exchange to ensure community independence from commercial markets and reliance on transgenic seeds.
His farm utilizes an agroforestry system (SAF) that integrates food production, soil fertilization, and environmental preservation.

The Caatinga biome has lost 14.4 percent of its native vegetation between 1985 and 2023, largely due to agricultural expansion and a 112 percent increase in pasture land.
The arrival of the "Green Revolution" in the 1970s led to chemical dependency, the loss of native plants, and severe water pollution from pesticide runoff.
Gomes notes that modern practices, including the use of drones for pesticide application on nearby industrial farms, threaten the health of his organic crops and local waterways.

By maintaining his "crazy field" against the pressure of industrial monoculture, Gomes has preserved species that might otherwise have gone extinct.
His efforts are part of a broader push to protect the rights of traditional peoples and promote farming methods that exist in harmony with the local climate and ecology.

Global Voices · May 31, 2026

Geraldo Gomes, a farmer in Serranópolis de Minas, Brazil, acts as a dedicated guardian of heirloom seeds, preserving over 200 varieties.
His work promotes agroecology in the semi-arid Caatinga biome, directly countering the rise of monoculture and pesticide reliance.
With support from regional coalitions like the Semi-arid Network (ASA), he is currently working to transform his seed house into a formal museum to ensure future generations have access to native biodiversity.

Gomes maintains a collection of seeds—some preserved for over 100 years—including over 70 types of beans, multiple corn varieties, and medicinal plants.
He practices traditional seed saving and exchange to ensure community independence from commercial markets and reliance on transgenic seeds.
His farm utilizes an agroforestry system (SAF) that integrates food production, soil fertilization, and environmental preservation.

The Caatinga biome has lost 14.4 percent of its native vegetation between 1985 and 2023, largely due to agricultural expansion and a 112 percent increase in pasture land.
The arrival of the "Green Revolution" in the 1970s led to chemical dependency, the loss of native plants, and severe water pollution from pesticide runoff.
Gomes notes that modern practices, including the use of drones for pesticide application on nearby industrial farms, threaten the health of his organic crops and local waterways.

By maintaining his "crazy field" against the pressure of industrial monoculture, Gomes has preserved species that might otherwise have gone extinct.
His efforts are part of a broader push to protect the rights of traditional peoples and promote farming methods that exist in harmony with the local climate and ecology.

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