A hard-hitting documentary has shed light on the dangerous child labor involved in harvesting acai berries, which remain a trendy and high-priced superfood in the West.
The short film, commissioned by cnn Freedom Project takes viewers to the heart of the Amazon in Brazil, where the small black and purple fruits are found.
Sao Paulo-based journalist Julia Vargas Jones travels on a boat before dawn with a group of teenagers involved in the dangerous practice of berry picking.
Since the fruit is located right at the top of the palm trees, children must master the art of climbing the spindly trunks and many injuries, sometimes fatal, occur as a result of falls.
A hard-hitting documentary has shed light on the dangerous child labor involved in harvesting acai berries. In the photo, journalist Julia Vargas Jones with acai collector Lucas Oliviera, 13 years old.
The short film, commissioned by CNN’s Freedom Project, takes viewers to the heart of the Amazon in Brazil, where the small black and purple fruits are found.
Despite the risks involved, according to a 2018 study academic article According to Dr. Monique Vanni, acai pickers (known as peconheiros) only earn between $6 and $16 a day, depending on the region in which they work.
Dr. Vanni points out that, in general, each worker collects an average of 10 ‘cans’ or baskets a day, which is equivalent to about 310 pounds.
Because tall palm trees, which can grow up to 70 feet tall, cannot support much weight, young children are recruited as pickers.
They wear no protective gear and all they use is a strip of burlap wrapped around their bare feet to help them grip the tree trunks.
In addition to the risk of falling, the documentary highlights that there are many other dangers in the jungle, with “deadly snakes, scorpions and jaguars” among some of the nasty things that lurk.
In the CNN film, 13-year-old Lucas Oliviera reveals that he has been picking acai berries for the past two years while attending school so he can help his older brother support his seven siblings.
He tells Julia that he gives the money he earns to his mother, and she in turn “gives him back a smaller portion.”
When asked what he does with the money he saves, Lucas, who comes from a small town on the outskirts of the northern city of Macapá, answers: ‘To buy my school supplies.’
Sao Paulo-based journalist Jones travels on a boat before dawn with a group of teenagers involved in the dangerous practice of berry picking.
Each worker collects an average of 10 ‘cans’ or baskets per day, which is equivalent to about 150 kilos.
While harvesting acai is dangerous and dirty work, Amazon community leader Nerivan Da Silva says “it’s out of necessity and not having food on the table.”
He also points out that it is a tradition that has existed for more than 100 years and that “is passed down from father to son.”
Acai picking is one of the many forms of child labor in Brazil.
According to a report from the Brazilian statistics office, during 2022 there were 1.9 million children and adolescents between five and 17 years old in child labor in the country.
Of this number, 22.8 percent were engaged in agricultural activities.
The CNN documentary states that in 2022, more than 8,000 tons of acai berries were exported, worth more than $26 million.
However, workers like Lucas “will only get a fraction of that figure.”
Allan Bruno, a prosecutor who investigates cases of forced child labor in Brazil, says one of the biggest challenges in breaking the cycle is “educating workers and children about their rights.”
They wear no protective gear and all they wear is a strip of burlap wrapped around their bare feet to help them grip the tree trunks.
While acai outlets promote themselves as health conscious, critics say they conveniently obscure the issue of the dangers of child labor (file image)
And he adds: ‘This is a reality of the rural world. Some of them cannot read, write or even count. Their needs are so basic that they are almost unfathomable.”
On a more poignant note, the documentary concludes with Nerivan Da Silva inviting people to “come see the culture where acai comes from because most of the time, people have no idea how much work it takes to bring it to their table.” .
Acai has been part of the Brazilian diet for hundreds of years, but gained popularity in the US during the 2000s for its purported health benefits.
It is thought that berries, which are rich in antioxidants, could help lower blood sugar levels, reduce swelling and help protect cells from damage.
Now, in cities like Los Angeles and New York, there are dozens of establishments dedicated to acai bowls, whose artfully displayed small dishes cost more than $10. Acai is usually served as a sorbet or puree as this prolongs its shelf life.
While acai outlets promote themselves as health conscious, critics say they conveniently obscure the issue of the dangers of child labor.
Acai has been part of the Brazilian diet for hundreds of years, but gained popularity in the US in the 2000s (file image)
In cities like Los Angeles and New York there are dozens of establishments dedicated to ‘acai bowls’, whose small artistically displayed dishes cost more than 10 dollars (file image)
In 2023, the Corporate Responsibility Laboratory (CAL) sued Sambazon, a California-based food company focused on acai, for wrongly marketing the supply chain as sustainable.
Lawyer Avery Kelly explains in an open letter: ‘Although children often perform the dangerous work of harvesting acai, Sambazon’s consumer marketing presents the company’s supply chain as sustainable.
‘For example, their website promotes a triple bottom line philosophy that ensures that “from its origin in the palm tree to the finished product in the palm of your hand when you take a bite – every step of our Acai’s journey has a purpose.”
‘Sambazon also claims to “monitor every step” of its products’ journey. But CAL believes the company does not support this with sourcing practices that are different from the industry norm.
Discussing the changes needed to forge a more sustainable future in the world of acai, he concludes: “Acai-picking communities in the Brazilian Amazon are demanding that companies like Sambazon address head-on the major risks associated with acai sourcing, and that restructure sourcing practices to maximize benefits to communities, not pretend that human rights risks are not present.’
Sambazon CEO Ryan Black previously denied that the company bought açaí harvested by children, according to the Washington Post.
He said the company only buys from certified sellers and that the company’s community-building projects give farmers an incentive to follow its rules.