Each seed planted is an act of resistance and a pact with the future.

In the far north of Mato Grosso, the disorderly occupation of the Amazon rainforest and the territories of indigenous communities suffer from unsustainable soybean cultivation, illegal mining, and cattle ranching. Deforestation and rampant logging generate significant impacts for these communities that depend on traditional farming for their subsistence. This process has already compromised areas of indigenous land preservation and water resources.

All these activities directly impact various communities, and their impacts are amplified by climate change, especially the scarcity of rain, compromising food security and traditional slash-and-burn planting.

It is in this scenario that the Amazonas Institute resists and strengthens its roots. The growing impact of climate change makes this challenge in the search for solutions increasingly urgent. By connecting agroforestry practices to ancestral indigenous knowledge, they build innovative methods that not only mitigate damage in indigenous communities but can also be replicated in urban centers, contributing to the biodiversity of cities, soil restoration, and reducing carbon emissions.

“The planting of native seedlings and the restoration of degraded areas located on indigenous lands are contributing to the regeneration of biodiversity and the improvement of soil and water quality. Urban agroforestry, traditional farms, and fruit orchards are ensuring access to healthy food, preserving ancestral agricultural practices, and promoting food autonomy and strengthening food security,” says a representative of the Institute.