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Avoided Deforestation on Small Rural Properties in the Region of the Transamazon Highway

Introduction

Last updated: 7 June, 2011

The project involves a group of 350 families of rural producers that live in 15 settlement projects on the margins of the Transamazonian Highway (BR-230) between the cities of Senador José Porfírio, Pacajá and Anapú, in western Pará State. The total project area is 1,745 hectares. The project’s objective is to transform the historic model of development for rural properties in the region, currently based on slash and burn agriculture with low productivity and minimal value added production, into a model that primarily involves improvements in agricultural and ranching practices through technical assistance, production technologies and infrastructure, increasing family incomes and decreasing pressures for new deforestation.

The project had its preliminary studies funded by the British Embassy and the Low Countries Embassy.  Its funding submission to the Amazon Fund is currently under review. 

Eléments de la REDD

Management and coordination

The project was developed through a partnership between the Amazon Environmental Research Institute and the Live, Produce, Preserve Foundation, who are responsible for the planning and execution of project activities as well as The Brazilian Biodiversity Fund, which will serve to administer resources captured by the project.

SEngagement et participation des parties prenantes

The first step of the project was to legitimise the content of the project proposal with the 350 families of the 15 community groups involved, before submitting it to the Amazon Fund. First, IPAM presented the proposal to the FVPP and the partner institutions, then presented it in 3 municipalities of the project, presenting it to local organizations and governments, as well as the 15 community groups involved in the project.

Niveau de référence

The baseline scenario was established taking into account historical rates of deforestation in the project region, demarcated within the limits of the “Pólo do Proambiente da Transamazônica” (Proambiente Hubs of the Transamazonian). For the calculation of baseline deforestation rates, average deforestation rates in the region between 1998 and 2009 were used.

In the absence of the project, the probable scenario would be the continuation of current practices of families residing in the region, such as low-yielding slash and burn agriculture, which requires the constant opening of new forest areas. As these families do not have the financial means to alter their production methods, resources originating from the REDD project are the only way to guarantee that these families have access to capacity-building, technical assistance and the infrastructure which allows them to realize true forest conservation and the sustainable use of their lands.

Garde-fous

The priority actions aim in particular at promoting deforestation cuts, conservation and sustainable forest management as well as increasing productivity and profitability of the forest areas already cleared within the properties of 350 smallholder families in the municipalities of Anapu, Pacaja and Senator Jose Porfirio. In other areas, the project intends to promote relevant changes to the local development through five main activities: promoting the regularization of the land tenure, improving agricultural practices and forest management, strengthening local organizations, and providing monitoring and deforestation indicators to the region.

MRV

Monitoring of forested areas will be accomplished via satellite images, field visits by project participants, Pole ProAmbiente Sustainability Index and external audits .

Related Institutions

Institution Rôle
Amazon Environmental Research Institute design

Financement

Institution Type Amount USD Date of Agreement
Amazon Fund Subvention $12,364,000