CONTEXTUALIZATION

The southern region of the state of Amazonas (municipalities of Boca do Acre, Pauini, Lábrea, Canutama, Humaitá, and Manicoré) is notably critical in terms of deforestation, land conflicts, violence, land grabbing, and territorial expropriation of traditional and Indigenous populations. This region, located at the border between Amazonas, Acre, and Rondônia, is part of the “deforestation arc.”

During the 2000s and 2010s, around 30 Conservation Units (CUs) and 36 Indigenous Lands (ILs) were created in southern Amazonas to ensure access to land and natural resources for traditional and Indigenous populations. However, managing these territories remains a challenge. For Indigenous peoples, it is essential to implement actions that protect their territories, promote sustainable resource use, and strengthen their culture.

One strategy to mitigate the degradation of Indigenous territories has been to strengthen territorial management processes led by Indigenous peoples themselves. The implementation of the National Policy for Territorial and Environmental Management of Indigenous Lands (PNGATI) is crucial to protect the integrity of communities and their lands. The Territorial and Environmental Management Plan (PGTA) is a tool that formalizes territorial use planning, focusing on cultural, environmental, and economic aspects. Typically, the PGTA is structured around three main pillars: territorial protection, sustainable resource management, and training, adapting to the specific characteristics and strategies of each Indigenous community.

In this context, the project presented by IEB included activities for the development of the PGTA for one IL and the implementation of PGTAs for the other seven ILs—four in the Purus River basin and three in the Madeira River basin.

THE PROJECT

In the Indigenous Lands (ILs) of the Purus River basin (IL Boca do Acre, IL Apurinã Km 124 BR-317, IL Água Preta/Inari, and IL Caititu) and the Madeira River basin (IL Jiahui, IL Nove de Janeiro, and IL Ipixuna), under Component 1, the project supported the implementation of their respective Territorial and Environmental Management Plans (PGTAs), carrying out actions in: (i) Strengthening Indigenous associations, through leadership training programs and improvements in communication and transportation infrastructure; (ii) Territorial Control and Protection, through the training of Indigenous territorial protection agents and the organization of surveillance expeditions in the ILs; (iii) Environmental management, recovery of degraded areas, and water resources, including the training of environmental agents, installation and maintenance of forest nurseries, and agroforestry task forces; (iv) Sustainable management and use of natural resources, with the development of Agro-extractive Production Potential Diagnostics and market research for these products, as well as the provision of specialized Technical Assistance and Rural Extension (ATER) and installation of infrastructure for Indigenous product management; (v) Monitoring deforestation in the seven ILs through the installation of Geographic Information System (GIS) toolkits in the Indigenous associations involved in the project and training Indigenous people to operate them.

Under Component 2, in the Tenharim do Igarapé Preto Indigenous Land, the project supported activities for the development of its PGTA, including awareness-raising and mobilization, field surveys and research, and the discussion, drafting, negotiation, and delivery of the PGTA.

INTERVENTION LOGIC

The project was aligned with the “Sustainable Production” (1) and “Territorial Planning” (3) components of the Fundo Amazônia Logical Framework.

Its direct effects were defined as follows: 1.1 “economic activities for the sustainable use of biodiversity identified and developed”; 1.2 “value-added forest product chains expanded”; 1.3 “management and technical capacity enhanced for forest management, processing of agro-extractive products, and seedling production”; 1.4 “degraded and deforested areas recovered and used for economic and ecological conservation purposes”; 3.2 “Igarapé Preto Indigenous Land with defined territorial and environmental management”; and 3.1 “seven Indigenous Lands in the Purus and Madeira river basins territorially protected.”

Click on the following image to view its objectives tree, that is, how the project's outputs are linked to the expected outcomes and impacts.

ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED 

Component 1 – “Implementation of Protection and Territorial Management Actions in 7 Indigenous Lands (ILs) in Southern Amazonas,” the most representative part of the project, was subdivided into five activities involving four ILs in the Purus River basin (IL Boca do Acre, IL Apurinã Km 124 BR-317, IL Água Preta/Inari, and IL Caititu) and three in the Madeira River basin (IL Jiahui, IL Nove de Janeiro, and IL Ipixuna).

Six Indigenous organizations were supported: Associação do Povo Indígena Jiahui – APIJ, Organização do Povo Indígena Parintintin do Amazonas – OPIPAM, and Associação do Povo Indígena Tenharin do Igarapé Preto – APITIPRE, from the Madeira basin; and Federação das Organizações Indígenas do Médio Purus – FOCIMP, Organização dos Povos Indígenas Apurinã e Jamamadi – OPIAJ, and Organização dos Povos Indígenas Apurinã e Jamamadi de Boca do Acre/Amazonas – OPIAJBAM, from the Purus basin.

To strengthen these organizations, providing them with autonomy and enhancing their capacity to promote transformative processes to address socio-environmental challenges, the activities included the following actions:

• Continuous training for 30 Indigenous managers from the six partner associations in topics such as organizational development, participation in socio-environmental public forums, and participatory methodologies;
• Participation of leaders and staff from Indigenous associations in PNGATI governance bodies;
• Meetings with Indigenous associations for project planning, monitoring, and evaluation, both in-person and virtually;
• Acquisition of boats, computers, generators, satellite antennas, internet infrastructure, GPS devices, and projectors;
• Completion of the Aquaviary Training Course – CFAQ IIC/M, enabling Indigenous participants to obtain navigation licenses;
• Acquisition of 79 cell phones for the organizations and Indigenous Environmental Agents, as well as webcams, UPS devices, projectors, transformers, and speakers; and
• Installation of electric poles, batteries, and solar inverters.

Regarding territorial control and protection, the actions consisted of learning and mobilization stages, combining the training of Indigenous Environmental Agents (IEAs) with the development of practical activities in their communities aimed at knowledge dissemination. A total of 73 Indigenous individuals were trained in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and territorial surveillance, and 43 georeferenced territorial monitoring excursions were carried out. The data collected during these excursions were recorded using mobile phones provided to the IEAs trained by the project. This enabled them to collect on-site data on deforestation alerts or invasions and to share analyses from community leaders and other members regarding territorial protection strategies developed in the beneficiary Indigenous Lands. The goal of these trainings and excursions was to promote greater autonomy for Indigenous peoples in monitoring their territories. Exchange activities were also conducted, bringing together Indigenous participants and field advisors from IEB to share experiences and collaboratively build territorial protection strategies.

In the area of environmental management, restoration of degraded areas, and water resources, actions were aimed at valuing and preserving the genetic heritage and agrobiodiversity found in the Madeira and Purus river basins, as well as promoting the establishment of multi-use agroforestry home gardens. These actions included continuous training in environmental management through three modules for Indigenous Environmental Agents (IEAs), two of which were in-person and one virtual; the organization of a forest seed fair; the installation and maintenance of two forest seedling nurseries and two seed banks within the Indigenous Lands; and the implementation of various agroforestry community work efforts. Educational materials were developed in audiovisual formats, along with booklets tailored to Indigenous audiences and explanatory audiocasts, which were distributed by the communities themselves, sharing and explaining their experiences in productive activities.

In the context of sustainable management and use of natural resources, the following actions are noteworthy:

• A study on the potential of agro-extractive production and two market and distribution route surveys for this production;
• An organic fertilization training course;
• 83 technical assistance visits;
• Distribution of craft processing kits;
• Construction of 41 storage sheds for Brazil nuts; and
• Acquisition of 11 brush cutters.

For monitoring deforestation progress in the seven Indigenous Lands (ILs), the main activities carried out included: monitoring with data collection recorded in a virtual database, enabling the use of this information for tracking and planning territorial actions; support and training for six Indigenous associations through the provision of capacity-building and equipment necessary for producing georeferenced information about their territories; and the organization of three workshops and one seminar held in a virtual format.

The development of the Territorial and Environmental Management Plan (PGTA) for the Igarapé Preto Indigenous Land, under Component 2, was carried out with broad participation and leadership from the Tenharin people of Igarapé Preto. To this end, the following activities were conducted: a sensitization and mobilization workshop for the PGTA elaboration; a workshop for agreement-building and training of Indigenous researchers; ethnomapping excursions and a participatory writing workshop; training of 10 Indigenous researchers to act as knowledge multipliers and data collectors for the PGTA; and meetings with Indigenous leaders for document validation and delivery of the final publication.

RESULT AND IMPACT INDICATORS

The project’s activities contributed to the outcomes related to the components “sustainable production” (1) and “territorial planning” (3) of the Amazon Fund’s Logical Framework.

The main indicators agreed upon for monitoring these objectives were:

General Indicators

• Total number of Indigenous people directly benefited by the project-supported activities
  Target: 2,179 | Achieved: 2,179, including 1,154 women

Direct Effect (1.1): “economic activities for the sustainable use of biodiversity identified and developed.”

Output Indicators

• Number of technical assistance visits conducted
  Target: 84 | Achieved: 83
  
  This target was not fully met due to the period of social isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Outcome Indicators

• Revenue generated from sustainable use economic activities (raw products – Brazil nuts)
  Target: R$240,000.00 | Achieved: R$1,910,653.50
• Volume of raw production generated from sustainable use economic activities (raw products – Brazil nuts)
  Target: 104,000 kg | Achieved: 780,115 kg

Direct Effect (1.2): “value-added forest product chains expanded"

Output Indicators

• Number of structures implemented for handicrafts and processing of agro-extractive products
  Target: 18 | Achieved: 41

Outcome Indicators

• Revenue generated from processed products (handicrafts)
  Target: R$10,000.00 | Achieved: R$4,250.00
• Volume of processed product generated (handicrafts) – production growth
  Target: 10% per year | Achieved: 5%.

Direct Effect (1.3): “management and technical capacity enhanced for forest management, processing of agro-extractive products, and seedling production"

Ouput Indicators

• Number of Indigenous people trained in restoration of degraded areas, water resource management, and agroforestry systems (SAFs)
  Target: 40 | Achieved: 73
• Number of exchange events on agroforestry and agro-extractive production techniques:
  Target: 4 | Achieved: 4

Outcome Indicators

• Number of Indigenous individuals trained in degraded area restoration and sustainable production who are effectively applying the knowledge acquired
  Target: 40 | Achieved: 73

Direct Effect (1.4): “degraded and deforested areas recovered and used for economic and ecological conservation purposes.”

Output Indicators

• Number of seed banks implemented
  Target: 3 | Achieved: 2
• Number of nurseries implemented
  Target: 3 | Achieved: 2
• Area restored through agroforestry systems (SAFs):
  Target: 4.8 ha | Achieved: 50.55 ha

Outcome Indicators

• Area restored through SAFs (with more than two years of recovery):
  Target: 4.8 ha | Achieved: 50.55 ha
• Extent of Indigenous Lands under community protection and surveillance:
  Target: 1,007,000 ha | Achieved: 1,007,000 ha

Direct Effect (3.1): “Seven Indigenous Lands in the Purus and Madeira river basins territorially protected.”

Ouput Indicators

• Number of Indigenous individuals trained in territorial surveillance
  Target: 70 | Achieved: 73
• Number of Indigenous individuals trained in geographic information systems (GIS)
  Target: 12 | Achieved: 73
• Number of GIS systems for territorial surveillance implemented
  Target: 6 | Achieved: 6
• Number of surveillance expeditions conducted in the Indigenous Lands
  Target: 21 | Achieved: 43

Outcome Indicators

• Extent of Indigenous Lands under community protection and surveillance
  Target: 1,007,000 ha | Achieved: 1,007,000 ha
• Number of Indigenous individuals participating in territorial surveillance and monitoring in the Indigenous Lands
  Target: 70 | Achieved: 73

Direct Effect (3.2): “Igarapé Preto Indigenous Land with defined territorial and environmental management.”]

Ouput Indicators:

• Extent of Indigenous Lands with defined environmental and territorial management (km²) – Tenharim do Igarapé Preto Indigenous Land
  Target: 87,413 ha | Achieved: 87,413 ha

Outcome Indicators

See Direct Effect 3.1.

Institutional and administrative aspects

The presence of field technicians in the municipalities of Lábrea, Humaitá, Pauini, and Boca do Acre strengthened the relationship between IEB and its Indigenous partner organizations. Notably, with support from the Brazilian Navy, a nautical training and licensing course was promoted for 28 Indigenous participants, enabling them to operate their own boats - acquired through project resources - with autonomy and professionalism.

With the establishment of the field team in southern Amazonas, the institution adapted its entire payment request and approval workflow, improving its administrative and financial processes, as well as asset management, based on the acquisitions made through the project. The hiring of a dedicated financial manager enabled more systematic monitoring of both the project budget and the organization’s overall financial management. This successful experience led IEB to assign a financial manager to each program, ensuring greater efficiency in implementation and better coordination between programmatic and financial areas.

Another significant advancement was the infrastructure supported by the project in the territories - such as boats, computers, cell phones, Brazil nut storage structures, among others - which are essential for enabling communities to manage their territories effectively.

Risks and lessons learned

The hiring of a field team working directly in the municipalities enabled greater agility in implementing actions and strengthened dialogue with Indigenous associations and territories. This was a key factor in overcoming the logistical challenges of the region, which depends on seasonality and rainfall patterns to access communities and territories.

Another challenge faced was the COVID-19 pandemic, which hindered field activities. In collaboration with partner associations, new approaches were developed to ensure the continuity of activities, maintaining deliveries in the territories and promoting actions led by the communities, associations, and Indigenous Environmental Agents (IEAs) trained by the project.

The partnership with National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples (Funai), established through a technical cooperation agreement, enabled integration with the agency’s decentralized regional units for implementing actions; however, this partnership was weakened from 2019 onward due to the political context.

Another lesson learned was the importance of combining different projects to achieve more significant results, such as the “Nossa Terra” project, supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The lack of implementation of PNGATI by the federal government between 2019 and 2022 exposed the risks associated with discontinuity in public policy execution, which also resulted in the absence of new calls for proposals from the Amazon Fund to continue consolidating Indigenous territorial management in the region.

Sustainability of the results

The Indigenous partner associations have increased their capacity to directly access funding and manage their own projects, thanks to the institutional strengthening provided by the project.

The initiative enabled the formation of a network of Indigenous Environmental Agents (IEAs) who carried out territorial surveillance expeditions and implemented monitoring tools, including the creation of georeferenced maps developed by the trained Indigenous participants themselves. As a legacy, the project leaves behind a network of 73 IEAs equipped to manage their territories, while also presenting an ongoing challenge: to consolidate a permanent protection network in southern Amazonas.