Canastra Cheese, Terroir and Landscape Heritage in Brazil: Origins, Recognition, and Economic Potential

This article examines the strategic intersection between agricultural heritage conservation and sustainable rural development by analyzing the Serra da Canastra cheese-producing microregion in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Following the historic inclusion of Artisanal Minas Cheese on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list in late 2024, a significant structural disconnect persists between the product’s elevated global cultural reputation and the localized economic returns realized by traditional family farms. Utilizing a comparative mixed-methods approach, this study evaluates institutional frameworks, policy documents, and territorial data against the benchmark model of Italy’s Parmigiano Reggiano region. The findings indicate that international heritage designations do not automatically yield regional economic resilience; rather, symbolic value must be actively converted through coordinated multilevel governance. To capture sustainable growth, Brazilian stakeholders must transition from formal Geographical Indication (GI) compliance to an integrated system of experiential agri-tourism routes, strict collective quality enforcement via producer consortia, and landscape-driven narrative marketing. This paper contributes a transferable, transnational framework for policymakers and rural sociologists seeking to leverage cultural heritage assets as drivers of sustainable territorial development and economic diversification.