Analysis of information used in the management of plant genetic resources: a case study from northwestern Mato Grosso, Brazil Jorge L. Vivan Æ Peter H. May Æ Luı ´s H. H. da Cunha Æ Walter S. de Boef Æ Charles R. Clement Received: 24 April 2008 / Accepted: 3 January 2009 / Published online: 6 February 2009 Ó Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2009 Abstract Evaluation and monitoring are critical to agroforestry (AFS) project management, especially if they aim to contribute to use and conservation of biodiversity and plant genetic resources. A methodol- ogy to analyze information used in decision-making processes was developed and applied in a biodiversity conservation project in the Brazilian Amazon. Quality of information gathered at landscape, AFS, species (Bactris gasipaes Kunth, both wild and cultivated varieties) and genetic diversity levels in three dimen- sions was analyzed. The information at the landscape level was good, while that in the organizational- institutional and socio-economic dimensions was acceptable; information gaps were serious in the genetic-ecological dimension. Ecological and eco- nomic functionality assessment based on indicators built upon reported administrative actions suggests that information related to conservation played a greater role in decision-making and management than infor- mation associated with use and development. The application of the methodology proved instrumental for enhancing efficacy of decision-making within an adaptive management approach to plant genetic resources use and conservation. Keywords Evaluation and monitoring Á Information Á Functionality Á Adaptive management Á Amazonia Á Bactris gasipaes Introduction Biodiversity use and conservation projects face a major dilemma in reconciling development with mainte- nance of habitats and viable ecosystems. One of the most important reasons is the perception in many conservation projects that humans are external to ecosystems. This perception induces a failure to recognize and incorporate interdependencies and J. L. Vivan (&) Á W. S. de Boef Centre for Agricultural Sciences, Plant Genetic Resources Post-Graduate Program, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Floriano ´polis, SC 88040-900, Brazil e-mail: jlvivan@terra.com.br Present Address: J. L. Vivan Rua Maestro A. J. Ramos, 200/201, Torres, RS 95560-000, Brazil P. H. May Department of Development, Agriculture and Society (DDAS/UFRRJ), Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Presidente Vargas, 417, 98 andar, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20071-030, Brazil L. H. H. da Cunha BioCon Environmental Consultancy, Torres, RS 95560-000, Brazil C. R. Clement Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazo ˆnia, Coordenac ¸a ˜o de Pesquisas em Cie ˆncias Agrono ˆmicas, Cx. Postal 478, Manaus, AM 69011-970, Brazil 123 Agroforest Syst (2009) 76:591–604 DOI 10.1007/s10457-009-9202-5