Rural communities from the Brazilian state of Piauí denounce increasing violence against their leaders and deforestation by land grabbers in the Cerrado, the world's largest tropical savanna. State and federal authorities must guarantee communities' lives and rights by issuing collective land titles.
A delegation of leaders of several rural communities in Southern Piauí has handed over a letter to state authorities asking for urgent action to safeguard their rights against the expansion of monocropping of agricultural commodities and land speculation. Loss of land combined with ongoing deforestation is destroying their livelihoods, disrupting communities, and causing food and nutrition insecurity.