There’s a Good Reason to Pay Attention to Trancoso’s Organic Festival

The Organic Festival, held in the idyllic coastal town of Trancoso, Bahia, is not just about delicious food — it’s about reshaping how we grow, cook, and relate to the land. There’s a good reason for that. Traditional agriculture has reached its limits. It can no longer guarantee both quality and quantity while facing growing climate challenges. Expanding over natural areas, overusing chemicals, and exploiting rural communities, the old model has become unsustainable. Across Brazil and around the world, pioneers are showing that it’s possible — and even profitable – to produce food regeneratively, restoring soils, forests, and livelihoods. The Organic Festival brings many of these visionaries together.

Now in its sixth edition, the festival takes place from October 29 to November 2, bringing together chefs, environmentalists, artists, and sustainability experts to explore the future of gastronomy, tourism, and culture. Created by UXUA Casa Hotel & Spa and Charles Piriou, it has evolved into a platform for dialogue on food systems, the environment, and local economies. Among the confirmed participants are Roberta Sudbrack, Morena Leite, Neka Menna Barreto, Luiz Filipe Souza, Rosa Moraes, Miguel Moraes, Bob Shevlin, Lara Espírito Santo, and João Diamante. The non-profit event is supported by institutions such as Conservation International, Embratur, the Arapyaú Institute, and the Brazilian Coalition on Climate, Forests and Agriculture – establishing Trancoso as a key space for reimagining sustainable production and consumption in Brazil.

“Chefs in Brazil are like rock stars,” says Bob Shevlin, co-founder of UXUA and of the festival, and board member at Conservation International. “They are influencers of influencers. Our idea with the Organic Festival was to harness their visibility to make conservation and responsible agriculture culturally aspirational. When a chef publicly supports sustainability, it can shift public opinion.”

For festival founder and organizer Charles Piriou, haute cuisine plays for food the same role haute couture plays for fashion – it sets trends and inspires creativity. “Chefs are no longer just cooks – they are community leaders, communicators, opinion shapers,” he says. “If what we eat defines our planet, chefs have a responsibility to help drive the transformation of our food systems.”

The festival also connects this culinary movement with Brazil’s most progressive agribusiness front. The Business Front for Regenerative Agriculture (FERA) represents producers who are transforming farming through regenerative, low-carbon, high-impact practices — positioning Brazil as a global reference in sustainable agriculture. One of the speakers, forest engineer Gilberto Terra, cofounder of Courageous Land, works on agroforestry and restoration projects in the Amazon and Atlantic Forest. “Regenerative agriculture is, first and foremost, in the producer’s interest,” he says. “It’s safer, more productive, and more profitable than conventional agriculture. And regenerative products have greater market value because they embody care for the land and for life.”

Beyond farming, this shift also creates new opportunities for tourism. “Brazil could follow Italy’s example,” Shevlin notes. “Agrotourism has long been part of Italy’s identity — connecting family farms and fine cuisine, attracting millions of visitors to regions like Tuscany and Umbria. With its biodiversity and vast geography, Brazil has limitless potential to link agriculture and tourism.”

The Trancoso Tourism Organization is already working on a 30-year plan for a greener future. A key priority is protecting the network of small sustainable farms around the town. Promoting regenerative agriculture near such a sensitive and sought-after coastal region makes perfect sense – it protects both nature and the local economy. “When we talk about regenerative agriculture, we’re talking about Nature-Based Solutions,” says Tatiana Souza, Director of Development and Communication at Conservation International. “Science shows these actions are essential to tackling the climate crisis – accounting for up to 30% of the needed global mitigation. They also improve water quality, generate income, and support coastal and rural communities that depend on nature.”

Souza adds that conservation can be a driver of prosperity. “In southern Bahia, we’re supporting seaweed cultivation and empowering local fishers and shellfish gatherers. It’s proof that it’s possible to produce in harmony with the ocean. Conservation connects traditional knowledge, innovation, and the blue economy.”

What happens in Trancoso may seem local, but it mirrors a global turning point: from extractive to regenerative systems, from exploitation to balance. In the kitchen, on the land, and in the sea – Brazil’s chefs, farmers, and entrepreneurs are helping cook up a more sustainable future.

*This opinion piece is the responsibility of its authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of ((o))eco.