BNDES will allocate R$ 2.5 million to bioeconomy in the Amazon

The National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) will allocate R$ 2.5 million to support forest bioeconomy projects in five municipalities with low socioeconomic indicators in Amazonas: Apuí, Itapiranga, São Sebastião do Uatumã, Lábrea and Carauari. The initiative will also have an additional R$ 2.5 million contributed by partners and will be implemented by the Institute for Conservation and Sustainable Development of the Amazon (Idesam), a non-governmental organization that develops alternatives for environmental conservation, social development and mitigation of changes weather.

According to the BNDES, the projects should involve community management of native forests in the wood, vegetable oil and Brazil nut chains and will be chosen through a public call for proposals. Extractive populations, family producers residing in Conservation Units and beneficiaries of agrarian reform programs will be able to participate in the selection through their cooperatives and social organizations.

The production resulting from these projects may be marketed by Inatú, a collective brand of sustainable Amazonian products created from a partnership between Idesam and associations and cooperatives. Founded in 2019, the brand was made possible with resources from the Amazon Fund, which is managed by BNDES.

According to Idesam, Inatú is managed by the producers and extractivists themselves, who manage to have access to more modern production processes for processing inputs and reach the final consumer through partnerships with small and medium-sized companies. Among the products already available are andiroba, green coffee and pitch oils, copaiba resin oil and cupuaçu and mururu butters.

Organizations that are selected in the new call will receive technical assistance. Training activities will benefit 150 people.

“Actions will also be carried out that aim to contribute to the creation of a chain of transformation of organic residues from the productive processes of oils and nuts into bioplastic”, informs the BNDES. According to the financial institution, supporting initiatives that make sustainable economic activities possible is the most inclusive and effective way to reduce pressure on the biome, helping to keep the forest standing.