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The market has been renewing itself and creating venture proposals connected to the demands of a socio-environmental committed agenda. In the Amazonian context, the so-called impact businesses are gaining more space and they stand out by combining economic gains with the appreciation of local practices, knowledge, and culture, and the purpose of overcoming regional inequalities. &nbsp;When it comes to the Amazon, the challenges are numerous and include, for example, biome conservation, logistical singularities, investment attraction, the appreciation of culture through traditional activities among the population, the incorporation of disruptive strategies, and the dissemination in different consumer markets. To face these and other issues, actions aimed at high-impact businesses acceleration have demonstrated their importance as facilitating mechanisms for sustainable development. A great contribution in that sense has been made by Fundo Vale, which incorporated fostering businesses with positive socio-environmental impact into the planning of Meta Florestal da Vale 2030 (Vale’s 2030 Forest Goal). Within this scope, the mining company made a voluntary commitment to protect and recover 500,000 hectares of forests, 400,000 of them being in protected areas, and 100,000 in recovery areas. Among these last ones, this will be mainly processed by impactful business arrangements such as employment and income generation for the population involved, the re-establishment of a family farming and small producers culture, as well as improving aspects such as carbon dioxide sequestration capacity through greater vegetation coverage. With this planning, the main focus is on supporting agroforestry systems projects (SAFs), which are alternatives for area recovery, then contributing to the ecosystem services, using different productive arboreal, agricultural, and/or animal species, thus enabling the aggregation of biodiversity conservation and economic return. &nbsp;<blockquote>We align the natural environment with an intrinsic factor to the project’s sustainability, which is mankind’s role in the ecosystem. Agroforestry systems are based on the premise of conservation through use, that is, sustainable income generation, emphasizes Bia Marchiori, Fundo Vale’s agronomist.</blockquote> Currently, there are already five projects directly supported by Vale’s 2030 Forest Goal, which, by the end of 2021, have contributed to the recovery of 6,178 hectares through planting. One of them is Belterra Agroflorestas that promotes the deployment of productive forests in which different cultures are associated, such as cassava, cocoa, açaí, and banana. There are over 1,000 recovered hectares in different types of contracts with producers from the states of Pará, Rondônia, Bahia, and Minas Gerais.<figure class="image image_resized image-style-side" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/Bia_Marchiori_Fundo_Vale_1a8b5922f2.png" alt="Bia Marchiori - Fundo Vale[.png" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_Bia_Marchiori_Fundo_Vale_1a8b5922f2.png 117w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_Bia_Marchiori_Fundo_Vale_1a8b5922f2.png 375w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_Bia_Marchiori_Fundo_Vale_1a8b5922f2.png 563w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_Bia_Marchiori_Fundo_Vale_1a8b5922f2.png 751w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>To Bia Marchiori, Fundo Vale’s agronomist, supporting these new businesses is essential to build a new economy (Release/Fundo Vale)</figcaption></figure> To Bia Marchiori, Belterra’s experience is representative of the alignment with the set of criteria valued by Fundo Vale, which includes the business’s financial and sustainable indicators analysis, such as the scale potential, the carbon credit generation, and the positive social &amp; environmental impacts. “The challenge here is that there aren’t many agroforestry projects or businesses in the scale intended to be achieved by Vale’s 2030 Forest Goal. Therefore, is it essential we look carefully at the bottlenecks and potentials of agroforestry businesses invested so that, in addition to the implementation of hectares, we can foster and strengthen this sector in an ecoefficient way. The alignment of food and raw material production, along with soil, water, and biodiversity conservation is essential. Then, yes, we reached the scale, and we will also be able to help decrease climate change”, adds Bia Marchiori. In addition, Fundo Vale supports initiatives such as Amaz Aceleradora de Impacto (Amaz Impact Accelerator) which seeks, through innovation, to transform the region’s economic matrix. Projects involving sustainable agriculture and livestock, forest management, community-based tourism, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, carbon credit generation, and other environmental products and services are some of the axes valued in the businesses that make up the initiative’s portfolio. &nbsp;<blockquote>“Supporting these new businesses is essential to build a new economy. We don’t know exactly how it will emerge; we have several guesses, several chains, several potential territories, but the only way we have to build this economy is to test it, to invest a lot in many different types of enterprising businesses”, states the new businesses director and CEO of Amaz, Mariano Cenamo, that emphasizes what is intended is to build the foundations of an economy committed to environmental conservation and the reduction of social inequalities.&nbsp;</blockquote> Amaz was born in 2021 but is already a result of a successful proposal in the impact business area, the Parceiros pela Amazônia (PPA) acceleration program. In a PPA spin-off-like fashion, the accelerator inherited the 12 businesses supported since 2018 and should reach 2025 with a total of 30 projects, benefiting from a BRL 25 million investment. According to Cenamo, the proposal has three main differentials in comparison to other experiences. The first one is the initial allocation of BRL 200,000 for those selected, which enables the businesses to invest and dedicate themselves to mentoring, training, qualification, immersion, and other activities. In the second one, Amaz creates acceleration timeframes that suit different projects' needs. And in the last one, there’s the technical team involvement on the program’s daily basis activities and in the solution of problems faced by the supported ventures. With this, it is possible to envision benefits that extend from the short term, with the incentive to actions that favor command and control institutions in the fight against deforestation, as an example; to the medium and long term, by creating a favorable environment for innovation and proposing alternatives to the Amazon development.“It is indeed necessary to take risks, to test, and to gather both regional and foreign entrepreneurs to build this new economy. That’s why it is so important to support businesses, especially those which are willing to innovate in their method to offer a service or product to society and those that have the purpose to solve urgent social and environmental problems in the Amazon region”, emphasizes Mariano Cenamo.“Supporting these new businesses is essential to build a new economy. We don’t know exactly how it will emerge; we have several guesses, several chains, several potential territories, but the only way we have to build this economy is to test it, to invest a lot in many different types of enterprising businesses”, states the new businesses director and CEO of Amaz, Mariano Cenamo, that emphasizes what is intended is to build the foundations of an economy committed to environmental conservation and the reduction of social inequalities.&nbsp; “It is indeed necessary to take risks, to test, and to gather both regional and foreign entrepreneurs to build this new economy. That’s why it is so important to support businesses, especially those which are willing to innovate in their method to offer a service or product to society and those that have the purpose to solve urgent social and environmental problems in the Amazon region”, emphasizes Mariano Cenamo. &nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/Belterra_dez2021_9_2e49170be6.jpg" alt="Belterra_dez2021_9.jpg" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_Belterra_dez2021_9_2e49170be6.jpg 234w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_Belterra_dez2021_9_2e49170be6.jpg 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_Belterra_dez2021_9_2e49170be6.jpg 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_Belterra_dez2021_9_2e49170be6.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>v there are already five projects directly supported by Vale’s 2030 Forest Goal, Belterra Agroflorestas is one of them. (Release/ Belterra Archives)</figcaption></figure>Among the same line of action, Movimento Amazônia em Casa, Floresta em Pé (Amazon at Home, Forest Standing Movement) proposal comes to strengthen the regional sustainable businesses, especially focusing on those that sell products from the local socio-biodiversity. The main line of action is the market access program, which combines training and dissemination at fairs and events, with constructing alternatives for logistics and commercialization, thus facing major bottlenecks that restrict access to Amazon products and limit their competitiveness at the national and global scenario.“As Bioeconomy is a sector under construction, many are the challenges presented, ranging from the structuring of the entire innovation, research, product development ecosystem, and access to the market &nbsp;to the development and improvement of these products. Many of them need to improve their communication, such as packaging, impactful narratives, assessment of nutritional values. There are also many logistical challenges given the Amazon continental dimensions and inappropriate infrastructure for small entrepreneurs” contextualizes Floriana Breyer, Movimento’s strategic partnerships coordinator.In practical terms, the structure of Movimento Amazônia em Casa, Floresta em Pé enables the 33 selected businesses to be promoted on large platforms such as Mercado Livre, Locale, Soulog, among others which currently offer consumers a variety of food, handicraft products, and vegetable oils from the main socio-biodiversity regional chains.To Floriana Breyer, an experience like this is capable of showing the potential the national economy has to pave new paths.<blockquote>“The benefits are diverse; they can change the country’s development blueprint by creating and strengthening new production chains based on forest assets and by keeping it standing, instead of following the commodities supply line of raw materials, thus avoiding deforestation, carbon emissions, generation jobs in the region and keeping local populations in their territories of origin”, points out the coordinator.</blockquote>

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Investment in innovative ventures contributes to forest conservation, combined with social impact

High-impact businesses acceleration strengthens Amazon's economy

Home to the greatest biodiversity on the planet, the Amazon region possesses a rich ecosystem regarding plants, animals and microorganisms. About 60% of its territory is located in Brazil, according to Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE) [Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics]. Within this broad territory, in the largest tropical forest on the planet, considerable amount of raw materials are found suitable to develop unique technologies, capable of making the region a gateway to innovative investments.<figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2Vm2X-oLjQ&amp;list=PLwoDrF1Md_jN15S6RhWgpJbVrVpm-ln7K&amp;index=4"><div style="position: relative; padding-bottom: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.2493%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P2Vm2X-oLjQ" style="position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0; left: 0;" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div></div></figure>Startups – technology-based companies that seek solutions for products and services – have progressively won more space in the region, and especially in the territory of Pará state. One of them – Biomimetics Biotechnology – develops an edible skin. Imperceptible to the human eye, and made from fruit peels. This delicate skin is able to extend the life of food stored in shelves. The product was created in 2019 by three partners as a result of an entrepreneurship competition organized by the Federal University of Pará [UFPA], The Inove+. Since then, the product has been improved and is now undergoing the final stages of development to be launched in the market.&nbsp; &nbsp;Increasing the shelf life of bananas, tomatoes and apples is the company's main focus, explains partner and executive director Jonas Cunha da Silva, a bioprocess engineer: “We've already achieved the extension of about four more days at room temperature. All this thanks to our bioactive components. In addition to fruit peels, we use several natural ingredients from the Brazilian Amazon”. The main customer to test the progress and efficiency of the product is the hortifruti products distributor, who makes the food circulate to the entire chain. “We have about nine people, most of whom are bioprocess engineers working in research, product development and production”.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The growing increase in organic waste, mainly deriving from agribusiness, and the great waste of food on a global scale were the factors that motivated the team of entrepreneurs to act. One of the founders had the idea to make the skin – the organic film – while researching on biomaterials. After sharing his idea with two other friends, who studied the extraction of components from fruit peels, the project was born. The initial intent was to take part in the contest promoted by the Federal University of Pará [UFPA], in which the idea won the first place. The other partners of Biomimética Biotecnologia are the bioprocess engineers André da Luz de Freitas and Patrícia Oliveira Santos, respectively, research and production directors.<figure class="image image_resized image-style-side" style="width:25%;"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/image_3_09c136986e.webp" alt="image (3).webp" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_image_3_09c136986e.webp 137w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_image_3_09c136986e.webp 439w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>(Reproduction)</figcaption></figure>“In order to ensure a more sustainable future for our country, we need to invest in products with high added value, such as this skin. I see a lot of potential in what we do, as our team is very engaged and has already developed other innovative products with similar proposals. We have gathered a lot of knowledge on the subject and we are aware of the relevance of this type of product for the country and for the world. I believe a great deal in the potential of our country and I know we are one of the countries responsible for feeding the rest of the world. But to keep up performing such a task, we need to guarantee safe and quality food for everyone”, says Jonas Cunha the bioprocess engineer.According to Jonas , one advantage of developing this technology within the Amazon is the enormous diversity it encompasses, which allows the product to incorporate natural ingredients with bioactive properties that can protect food in a fully functional and safe way, without the need to synthesize harmful chemicals to the environment.In addition, we emphasize the opportunity to observe conscientiously the rich diversity of the fruit sector, with foods that exist, exclusively, in states that surround the Amazon region - known abroad as ‘superfruits’. Jonas also explains that many of these fruits are not yet known due to their short shelf life: they spoil even before they reach other states or countries. The organic skin created by Biomimetica can help change this scenario and increase the income of communities that depend on this type of commerce.Bringing up sustainable ideas is the way out to guarantee a long life for businesses and projects. The startup's executive director emphasizes: “The market is becoming increasingly competitive and, nowadays, it’s not just about making money, but staying consistently profitable, that is, financially alive for the next decades, without harming the environment or causing social instability. A sustainable idea must be based on three pillars: social, financial and environmental. This attitude towards the market and nature will guarantee a less unequal planet for everyone, one that is more environmentally friendly to live in, with fewer disasters and fewer tragedies and economic instabilities”, says Jonas Cunha.<blockquote>"A sustainable idea must be based on three pillars: social, financial and environmental" -&nbsp;Jonas Cunha,&nbsp;bioprocess engineer.</blockquote>In his opinion, investments from public and private agents are the solution for sustainable ideas to succeed. Jonas defends that the State should invest in Bioeconomy and, in partnerships with solid companies, providing the necessary support for these projects to fully mirror the market, instead of being simply ‘ideas’.&nbsp;<h2 style="margin-left:auto;">Technology transforms family farming</h2>&nbsp;Developing a system that could track any product originating from family farming was the determinant motivating factor for the emergence of Amachains, a startup company that today has a traceability management platform with a marketplace. The tracking of products and services is performed by using blockchain and compliance to transform agribusiness and bioeconomy production chains into sustainable business networks. The team started working in January 2018, but it was only in October 2019 that the company was established. Today, it operates in the agribusiness and bioeconomy production chains, but the company has already had experience with the mining chain as well.<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/image_7_31bbfe2537.webp" alt="image (7).webp" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_image_7_31bbfe2537.webp 245w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_image_7_31bbfe2537.webp 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_image_7_31bbfe2537.webp 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_image_7_31bbfe2537.webp 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Alexandre Bezerra, a production engineer and also an agribusiness technician (Personal archive)</figcaption></figure>“The main solution is a platform that allows tracking products, services and impact indicators linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Amachains proposal has its origins in the harsh reality of family farmers who, despite the various actions taken by Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), companies and people on their regard, cannot change their condition of being the weakest part of agribusiness”, evaluates Alexandre Bezerra – the startup's founder and CEO, a production engineer and also an agribusiness technician. “We realized that we could help and decided to tackle this problem with a traceability system that could be given away for free to one of the most important players in agribusiness and the bioeconomy in Brazil. We represent a social project with the purpose of generating justice, prosperity and dignity for all producers”.By offering an innovative and disruptive platform, the Amachains may project the Amazon region to national prominence concerning modernity and technology, providing cutting-edge technology at affordable prices to all producers in agribusiness and bioeconomy, considering either those ones who work on extractive activities or not, and also for free to the producers who are legally registered as family farmers.&nbsp;&nbsp;<blockquote>"Surely, our greatest satisfaction and potential is being able to gather small family farmers in this journey towards the achievement of sustainable development and innovation" - &nbsp;a production engineer and also an agribusiness technician (Personal archive)</blockquote>&nbsp;Alexandre explains that the solutions being created add great value to all the actors in the productive chains, especially to family farming. In parallel, there are innovations in state-of-the-art technology, such as blockchain. “The way we use the blockchain to create our platform and our business is innovative in Brazil and in the world. Surely, our greatest satisfaction and potential is being able to gather small family farmers in this journey towards the achievement of sustainable development and innovation. Our platform was developed to reach national and international levels”.The team currently has 10 members – it has increased 100% in number of employees in 2021 and is supposed to increase even more in 2022, according to the CEO. Alexandre states that it becomes increasingly necessary to create startups which solve problems concerning global warming and provide more sustainable development. For him, a company that does not care about the planet, following guidelines of good governance, paying close attention to environment and social issues, is like signing a “death penalty”. Thus, he advocates everyone should work in advance and pay attention to the Amazon.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2 style="margin-left:auto;">Project seeks to decrease cost to producers and to buyers</h2>&nbsp;Directto, another startup empowering producers and buyers, aims at cutting out the necessity of middlemen in the commerce of Amazon bioeconomy products. Using a platform, the group, acting in Pará state territory for about one year, manages efficient and clear direct sales, without the necessity of intermediary people, resulting in higher profiting and lower costs to the sellers and to the buyers, also providing a source of reliable and quality suppliers.<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/image_8_7331784ded.webp" alt="image (8).webp" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_image_8_7331784ded.webp 245w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_image_8_7331784ded.webp 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_image_8_7331784ded.webp 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_image_8_7331784ded.webp 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Rodrigo Gomes de Oliveira is Co-founder and CEO of Directto (Personal archive)</figcaption></figure>Co-founder and CEO of Directto, Rodrigo Gomes de Oliveira, expert entrepreneur in growth hacking, attributes the emergence of the project to a friend of him, who was living in Portugal – since he had no planned career, he thought about exporting products to that country. He decided to sell açai, and for that purpose he contacted local companies. “I saw how the process of intermediary sales happen, how the production bought here is sold abroad. Their mode of operation did not seem efficient to me. I started to study about it and thought about a model of marketplace, I wondered if that would possibly work properly to the exporting scenario of açai and other products. I figured it out that there was an opportunity to add value to both parts”.Even though there are many productive chains participating in the Amazon bioeconomy, all of them face the same problem, says Rodrigo, because the producer has the expertise ‘in production’, not ‘in selling’ or financial management. This evidence, according to the CEO, impairs the commerce, that is why they are always behind . So, the market tool has a gigantic potential to add value to the region. This model of business is going to work for exporting and for the local market, says the co-founder. Thus, producers will find new suppliers more easily and will get a clearer process of commerce.&nbsp;&nbsp;<blockquote>"I think our forest brings many challenges, but entrepreneurship is just like that: the companies exist to solve problems” -&nbsp;Rodrigo Gomes de Oliveira, Co-founder and CEO of Directto.</blockquote>&nbsp;“It is a differential touch to the Amazon, because this regional bioeconomy community of producers is going to economically evolve. This is going to be a very good thing for us to be able to develop not only the productive chains, but also keep the forest standing, which is the concept of the products from the Amazon. So, it has a great social, economic and ecologic impact. It is important to create sustainable ideas, which value the Amazon culture. I think our forest brings many challenges, but entrepreneurship is just like that: the companies exist to solve problems”.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2 style="margin-left:auto;">Partnership creates ecosystem to startup acceleration&nbsp;</h2>&nbsp;All these projects are part of&nbsp; Associação Paraense de Inovação e Tecnologia (Açai Valley) [Innovation and Technology Association from Pará], acting since 2019 in Pará, aiming at gathering entrepreneur ideas. The initiative was born from the necessity of discussing innovation and entrepreneurship in the state. Currently, the entity holds about 200 mapped startups, including about 420 members. Last week, O Liberal Group and Açai Valley agreed on a partnership to create the LibVenture, the first ecosystem of startups acceleration in the North connected to a group of communication. The goal is to enhance, encourage and value the environment of innovation in the companies.&nbsp;&nbsp;<blockquote>"An ecosystem of innovation needs active strong actors, and a lot of collaboration and union among them, so that the startups may emerge, develop themselves and grow up" -&nbsp;Alexandre Bezerra, production engineer and also an agribusiness technician.</blockquote>&nbsp;The idea, according to Aline Viana, market director of the Liberal Group, is to promote the idea of ‘innovation’ more and more. The partnership with Açai Valley is going to expand this space. “The objective is to bring the innovation ecosystem as much as possible into the group. Nowadays, there are plenty of possibilities here in Pará and&nbsp; a lot of startups still do not get enough visibility. The aim is to bring this concept and to invest in innovation in 2022. The Açai Valley is the main association of startups in the state and we want to strengthen this relationship with them”.Some of these projects support the association with mentorship to the beginner startups, sharing some experiences and helping to develop new ideas in our region, such as Amachains. “An ecosystem of innovation needs active strong actors, and a lot of collaboration and union among them, so that the startups may emerge, develop themselves and grow up. The Açai Valley is like the “glue” that bonds all these actors. We think Açai Valley was indispensable to reach the results we have today, says Alexandre Bezerra.&nbsp;On the other hand, Jonas Cunha, from Biomimética, considers Açai Valley as a network of opportunities. “The association has great goals for the future, but currently it has been a place that works as a support net for the entrepreneurs in Pará and that helps in the communication process with various public and private actors. We are always sharing ideas about the market, pitching for investors and other things”, he comments.&nbsp;

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Empowerment of entrepreneurship leads startups to seek solutions to regional problems

Development of the Amazon stands on technological innovation

By land, water or air, the Armed Forces play a fundamental and strategic role in protecting the Amazon. To carry out this mission, one of the main obstacles is logistics. The continental distances of the region represent a chapter in itself in fighting against criminal actions and also in carrying out social activities. Usually, the population has no idea of ​​the daily and continuous anonymous work carried out by the Air Force, Army and Navy.The three corporations have distinct characteristics. But, for the best performance and success of the missions, they work together and also in partnership with other federal, state and municipal institutions. Although few people know about it, one of the tasks of the Brazilian Air Force is to transport human organs in cases of transplantation.Another interesting fact is that the 23rd Infantry Division of Jungle Brigade, in the municipality of Marabá, is one of the most out-and-out in the entire Brazilian Army. It is a ready-made force to act in any part of the national territory, and abroad. For 2020, the division has already received an extra mission: to qualify a company to be used in peace operations.Regarding the Navy, to have a thorough idea of ​​the work performed in the region, the land area under the responsibility of the Command of the 4th Naval District is equivalent to around 23% of the entire national territory. The maritime dimension, including the search and rescue area of jurisdiction, is around 2 million km².The military men of the Armed Forces have also played a decisive role in combating covid-19, especially in the most critical periods of the disease in the region. During the pandemic, for example, the Army carried out 2,419 disinfection procedures in different areas and also provided support for immunization, contributing with the logistics for the application of 380,000 vaccines.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/image_2_4dde43173c.webp" alt="image (2).webp" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_image_2_4dde43173c.webp 208w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_image_2_4dde43173c.webp 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_image_2_4dde43173c.webp 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_image_2_4dde43173c.webp 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Promotional material / Army</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;Along the ‘Operation Covid’ and facing the mission to integrate the country, the Brazilian Air Force [FAB] performed 6,225 flight hours and transported 5,018 tons of cargo and 11,710 patients. This feat represented the equivalent of circling the earth 107 times.&nbsp;By air, FAB guarantees vaccine, food and transportation for patients and organs&nbsp;Located in Belém, the First Regional Air Command (I Comar) operates in Pará, Amapá and Maranhão. The commander, Air Brigadier Major Maurício Augusto Silveira de Medeiros, says that ‘defense’ is the primary action taken by the Air Force in the Amazon. “Our mission is to maintain the sovereignty of the airspace, but we also have other missions to integrate the national territory. We've been working in the Amazon for 80 years,” he says. Integration is performed, for example, by means of the transport of organs for transplantation and vaccines. “Now, during the Covid pandemic, we have been carrying a lot of oxygen cylinders. The presence of the Air Force gives citizens the certainty that the Brazilian State is present and that whatever they need, wherever they are, we will help”, guarantees Major-Brigadeiro Medeiros.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/image_4_d68218b037.webp" alt="image (4).webp" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_image_4_d68218b037.webp 234w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_image_4_d68218b037.webp 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_image_4_d68218b037.webp 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_image_4_d68218b037.webp 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>&nbsp;&nbsp;Air Force Brigadier Major&nbsp;Maurício Augusto Silveira de Medeiros&nbsp;(Igor Mota / O Liberal)&nbsp;</figcaption></figure>According to the commander, the Armed Forces exist to protect the country. “We always carry out this mission of protecting the borders, intercepting illicit aircrafts that transport drugs, smuggling”, details the Brigadier-Major.One of the challenges we face, however, is having a place to land the aircrafts. “If there is not a landing field, we use a helicopter, or if there is no landing field, we build one. The Air Force works in such an obstinate way that, if there is a constraint, we try to overcome the obstacle in one way or another”, he says. Another challenge is the weather. “Not rarely, we want to get to a place, but we are not able to because of the weather. So, we wait until the next day. We persevere until the mission is accomplished, regardless of who is involved – to look for someone who is sick, to provide vaccine, to deliver food”, guarantees Medeiros.<blockquote>"Sometimes people want to put a division between civil and military society, but that doesn't exist. There is Brazilian society" - Maurício Augusto Silveira de Medeiros, Air Brigadier Major of the Air Force.</blockquote>In the Amazon, there is a rainy season and also a dry season. “Often, during the dry season, when the river is not navigable, the Air Force becomes in charge of delivering food, in addition to a series of other assistance services and few people are aware of it. It's not that we don't want to show it, but we don't need to be trumpeting what we're doing”, he says.To guarantee the protection of the Amazon, Brigadier-Major Medeiros says it is essential to have people who are really engaged in the work towards the development and protection of the country. “We are part of Brazilian society and our job is precisely to support this society in whatever it needs. Sometimes, people tend to put a divide between civil and military society, but there is no such thing. There is one Brazilian society”, he believes.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/image_2_424c1eeb37.webp" alt="image (2).webp" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_image_2_424c1eeb37.webp 245w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_image_2_424c1eeb37.webp 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_image_2_424c1eeb37.webp 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_image_2_424c1eeb37.webp 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Promotional material</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;“With the motto 'Wings that protect the Country', the Air Force, wherever it is, will always be carrying out this protection work. ‘Wings’ because we fly and arrive fast and, consequently, we manage to do everything that is necessary. Society can and must count on us, because we will always protect the country”.&nbsp;<h2 style="margin-left:auto;">Air base in Belém</h2>&nbsp;At the Air Base in Belém, the commander, Colonel Aviator Ricardo Bevilaqua Mendes, explains that there are four main operational organizations. One of them is the First Air Transport Squadron, which sends ballot boxes, transports wounded people, vaccines, military personnel and representatives of Federal Organs, such as the Federal Police and Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis [IBAMA] and provides support to people who are under vulnerable conditions. There is also the Neptune Squadron, which has an aircraft whose main mission is to carry out maritime patrol and performs searches and reconnaissance over the national territory.<blockquote>"Covid was a major logistical operation. We deliver several oxygen cylinders, medicines. This was part of our work" -&nbsp;João Chalella Junior, Army general.</blockquote><h2 style="margin-left:auto;">Northern Military Command covers 20% of the national territory</h2>&nbsp;“The Army never stops. We must be able to accomplish any kind of mission”, guarantees the Northern Military Commander, Army General João Chalella Júnior. According to him, the Amazon is so important to Brazil that, previously, there was only the Amazon Military Command in the region, which was responsible to cover the Western and Eastern sides of the territory. “Due to the strategic importance and some differences between the “two Amazons”, the Northern Military Command (CMN) was inaugurated, in 2013. The mission of the CMN is the defense and protection of the Eastern Amazon, explains Chalella.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/image_9_399bde1b57.webp" alt="image (9).webp" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_image_9_399bde1b57.webp 245w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_image_9_399bde1b57.webp 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_image_9_399bde1b57.webp 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_image_9_399bde1b57.webp 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>North Military Commander, General of the Army João Chalella Junior&nbsp;(Marcio Nagano / O Liberal)</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;The General points out the work done by the institution at the border areas, the fight against the transnational illicit and actions to support many federal departments and institutions, besides helping in logistic, for instance, providing transportation. “The Army does not function alone. We work together with the Air Force, Navy, and with other institutions, such as IBAMA, FUNAI, among others. We are the “strong arm” and we have another side, which is the “friendly hand”, our motto. The Army’s friendly hand is quite effective. There are also other operations to support indigenous communities”, he says. Furthermore, he highlights the Army help to the Civil Defense, for example, during the flooding seasons in Marabá, when hundreds of residents are affected.Chalella emphasizes that among some important actions, there is the “Agata Operation”, at the border extension; the “Verde Brazil Operation”, which fights against deforestation and illegal mining; and the “Bailique Operation”, aimed at helping municipalities and civil institutions to storage, to board and to distribute water for the residents of the Bailique archipelago, in Amapá state, where there is shortage of clean water during this time of the year, because there is a salinization phenomenon in the waters of the Amazon river, caused by the dry weather.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/image_10_82e24bc47b.webp" alt="image (10).webp" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_image_10_82e24bc47b.webp 245w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_image_10_82e24bc47b.webp 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_image_10_82e24bc47b.webp 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_image_10_82e24bc47b.webp 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Promotional material / Army</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;The main problem to carry out that kind of mission in the Amazon is the transportation. “There are some roads that are inaccessible during the whole year and the distances traveled are pretty large. For instance, there was a unit operating 1,400 km away from the headquarter, so, during the actions, we have to integrate all the modals, including helicopters, whenever necessary”, he says. According to the General, the pandemic did not stop the actions of the Army. “We are always ready for the extremely hard missions. The covid was a great logistic operation. We delivered many oxygen cylinders and medicines. It was part of our work”, he highlights.Chalella points out that, in order to face the challenges to ensure the defense and protection of the Eastern Amazon, it is essential firstly to provide training for the troop. “For the defense and protection of our Eastern Amazon, we need equipment, resources and well-trained people, ready to step in anytime. “Strong arm and friendly hand” working to guarantee the sovereignty, laws, order, and defense of the country, but we also have to be ready to help the population, working together with other institutions here in the region”, he affirms.The Northern Military Command encompasses the states of Pará, Amapá and North of Tocantins, covering 20% of the national territory.&nbsp;<h2 style="margin-left:auto;">Command of the 4th Naval District: fight against the environmental and transborder crimes</h2>&nbsp;Some of the missions carried out by the 4th Naval District (Com4ºDN) include actions such as, preventing environmental and transborder crimes, in ocean and river areas; implementing and monitoring the enforcement of the laws and regulations in Brazilian Jurisdictional Waters, in the Continental Shelf and in high seas, besides naval inspection and patrolling, including cooperative actions with other government institutions, operating in the states of Amapá, Maranhão, Pará and Piauí. The 4th Command is responsible for the Eastern Amazon area, which is based in Belém. The Command of the 9th Naval District (Com9ºDN) is in charge for the Western Amazon area.According to the Corvette Captain Jean Bergamaschi, in charge for the Training and Communication subsection of the 4th Naval District, the most important mission is to train and use the Navy Force, Air-Naval Force and the Marines to contribute to protect the country, to ensure the constitutional powers, the law, the order, and to support the foreign policy.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/image_11_b3495fbcea.webp" alt="image (11).webp" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_image_11_b3495fbcea.webp 245w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_image_11_b3495fbcea.webp 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_image_11_b3495fbcea.webp 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_image_11_b3495fbcea.webp 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Corvette Captain&nbsp;Jean Bergamaschi&nbsp; (Marcio Nagano / O Liberal)</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;In practice, riverine operations are carried out to guarantee the defense of the territory, besides actions to ensure the enforcement of the law and order, in cooperation with other government institutions, rescue operations, support to the search and rescue service in the area covered by the Com4ºDN, aiming at preserving the human life in the sea and in the rivers. Other kinds of operations are, for instance, social civic actions, focusing on humanitarian assistance and help to health actions in riverine communities, operations in partnership with other Navies, focusing on supporting the foreign policy.&nbsp;In 2021, the main actions were the patrols in rivers and seas; search and rescue operations, and the Agata operation, which aimed at intensifying the presence of the state at the land and sea borders. Bergamaschi also pointed out the “Operação Verde Brasil 2” [Green Brazil Operation 2], to fight deforestation, fires and illegal mining, another operation was “Samaúma”, with the purpose of helping to prevent fires and illegal deforestation in the Amazon; lastly, “Pão da Vida operation”, focusing on reducing the problems faced by the marajoara population under social vulnerability conditions, which was increased during the covid-19 pandemic.The Corvette Captain Jean Bergamaschi states that one of the main problems is the large extension of area covered in the operations, and the complexity about them, since they include both sea and river areas, each one has certain specificities. “There are around 5,500 km of navigable rivers. Those dimensions demand a complex logistic support, proper equipment and highly trained people”, he explains.

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Army, Navy and Air Force carry out integrated actions towards the overcoming of continental distances, guaranteeing the fight against crime and humanitarian aid to the peoples of the region

Order and Strategy in Protecting the Amazon

Science estimates that 86% of living species on land and in continental waters have never been catalogued. And this rate can reach 89%, if we talk about marine species, among the 8.7 million different beings inhabiting the Earth, according to figures of the Marine Life Census provided from researchers. Faced with the risk of&nbsp; forest disappearance and the consequences of climate change, such as droughts and other environmental disasters caused by human action, scientists are in a race to encapsulate in space and time whatever life exists around human beings. To find out what sort of life there is inside forests, scientists have developed techniques, methodologies and new technologies, increasingly digital ones, to enhance data about known living beings on the planet. The difficult and traditional fieldwork in Biology has been bolstered by with scientific innovations, such as e-DNA (or environmental DNA), robotics, remote sensing (with drones) and bioacoustics. The goal is to optimize time and reduce costs in research work, further valuing qualified professionals for species mapping.Cataloging a species of plant or animal requires a lot of study, training and even keen ears and eyes. The work can range from walking with a magnifying glass in hand, in the most distant part of a forest, to the delicate storage of a plant specimen in a laboratory. Around 90 scientists, from different research institutions in Brazil, came together to form a team and participate in a competition that challenges them to develop ways of cataloging flora and fauna biodiversity in the shortest possible time, with the greatest scientific rigorousness and lower operating costs.The Brazilian Team Forest congregate biologists, citizen scientists, communication professionals, ecologists, economists, engineers, environmental managers, computer scientists and mathematicians from Brazil (and some from other countries) to participate in the XPRIZE Rainforest, a five-year competition that encourages scientists from the around the world to improve global understanding of the tropical forest ecosystem. This year, the Brazilian group was announced as one of the six finalists (the only one from the Southern Hemisphere). The final decision will be in June 2024, in the Brazilian Amazon.<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/IMG_20220309_093201_b44d2ab14a.jpg" alt="IMG_20220309_093201.jpg" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_IMG_20220309_093201_b44d2ab14a.jpg 208w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_IMG_20220309_093201_b44d2ab14a.jpg 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_IMG_20220309_093201_b44d2ab14a.jpg 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_IMG_20220309_093201_b44d2ab14a.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Brazilian Team_Forest in the XPrize competition. CREDITS: Paulo Molin</figcaption></figure>BIOECONOMYPedro Hartung, director of Policies and Rights at the Alana Institute, XPRIZE supporter, explains that the objective of the award is “to stimulate discoveries about what is there inside the forest, since, unfortunately, the world is experiencing, in addition to a climate crisis, a biodiversity loss crisis”. Hartung points out that this occurs especially in tropical forests, such as the Amazon, which are the most diverse ecosystems in the world. “These discoveries are important even for the bioeconomy, so discussed nowadays. That's why I believe that we need to know more and thus be able to protect, since forest conservation is carried out through incursion mechanisms that are very expensive and take a long time”.The Brazilian group competing for the US$10 million prize argues that the destruction of tropical forests is expanding faster than humans' ability to study biodiversity. Therefore, the group has dedicated efforts to improving knowledge about plant and animal diversity, “using designed, developed and tested innovative technologies and solutions”, for rapid and accurate assessment of biodiversity, especially in remote or difficult-to-access geographic areas. Solutions include the use of drones, sound recorders, Artificial Intelligence (A.I.), digital applications, among others – all with the purpose of mapping biodiversity.FOREST IN SIGHTPaulo Guilherme Molin - especialist in forest restoration and monitoring plans, professor at the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) coordinates, within the Brazilian Team Forest, the remote sensing and biodiversity data collection group, with the help of drones. "First, the images produced with the drone are collected to scan the forest area (in this competition, 100 hectares). In this 3D scan of the forest, it is possible to observe the main structure, which would be the height of the trees. This information, &nbsp;allows us to know which trees are the tallest ones in the landscape, but it is also possible to transform this into stored carbon, that is, we can create a map of the biomass present in the forest", he explains.“Our most promising results stem from the use RGB image, which is very similar to that taken by a cell phone camera. Photos are taken of the entire forest area analyzed, and from this, a map with several scenes is created, generating a giant photograph of this forest. Next, comes Artificial Intelligence, which helps us identify treetops and estimate the number of trees found in that forest.” In other words, based on aerial photographs, pasted one next to the other, the A.I. identifies patterns by generating an algorithm to know how many species and individuals are located in a given area.<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/20230527_155607_7c167faf5f.jpg" alt="20230527_155607.jpg" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_20230527_155607_7c167faf5f.jpg 208w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_20230527_155607_7c167faf5f.jpg 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_20230527_155607_7c167faf5f.jpg 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_20230527_155607_7c167faf5f.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Remote sensing and biodiversity data collection with the help of drones. CREDITS: Paulo Molin</figcaption></figure>LIFE IS SOUNDBiologist Simone Dena is a researcher at the Fonoteca Neotropical Jacques Vielliard (FNJV), founded in 1978 and the largest sound library in Latin America, part of the Museum of Biological Diversity at the University of Campinas (Unicamp). She is the bioacoustics coordinator at the Brazilian Team, and her work consists in capturing the lives of animals within the forest through audio and audiovisual content - including those that not even the human ear is capable of understanding, such as those produced by bats.The captures follow strategies that observe the routines in the lives of animals in a forest area, as Dena explains: “We need to adapt our tools according to the groups that are being worked on. So, we seek to understand methodologies that are integrative, such as recording at different times of the day. Birds, for example, we can identify in the morning. As for the bats, at night.”"We collect data ranging from audible frequencies for humans to ultrasonic frequencies that we cannot hear. Then, these data, stored in files, are sent to validation by experts. Subsequently, they undergo analyses in two ways: when the sound occurs and its classification, taking into consideration the species of the identified animal.According to Dena, the analysis of sounds goes beyond the identification of species living in a monitored area. It also sheds light on other aspects of biodiversity, such as species abundance, daily connectivity, and even the health of the environment. "This allows us to obtain information with various ecological analysis aspects," explains the researcher."<h3 style="text-align:justify;">Traces of life found with the help of genetics</h3>Carla Lopes is a PhD in genetics and molecular biology, besides coordinator of a group of five researchers on DNA field. She has focused her research on molecular tools for understanding biodiversity and conservation of tropical forests. According to her, the “Brazilian Team” group has been working on two fronts: a kind of barcode of the species that live in the forest, and environmental DNA (or e-DNA).“The ‘barcodes’ are fragments of DNA that serve as an identification of each species. Each one has a unique sequence. And with very small pieces of DNA, it is possible to do sequencing. How does it work? We take a plant from the environment, extract its DNA and sequence the DNA using this single little piece, which functions as a barcode. Using this, it is possible to identify which species we are talking about”, explains Carla Lopes. The codes, she explains, serve for comparison purposes, in an extensive database, so that living beings can be recognized.Furthermore, e-DNA is studied by means of sample collecting from some matrix of the environment, such as river water, puddles, streams, the sea, a part of the soil, a layer of leaves that remains on the forest floor (which can be called “serrapilheira” [plant litter]), among others. “All of these are environmental samples and all activity, life of the organisms, whatever they are, any activity of these organisms in the environment leaves traces”, details Carla. “They are cells that rupture and the DNA is released in the environment.&nbsp;That’s why it’s called Environmental DNA.”<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/IMG_0855_abf1af640e.jpg" alt="IMG_0855.jpg" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_IMG_0855_abf1af640e.jpg 117w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_IMG_0855_abf1af640e.jpg 375w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_IMG_0855_abf1af640e.jpg 563w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_IMG_0855_abf1af640e.jpg 750w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Reseachers work to catalogue biodiversity in forests. CREDITS: Paulo Molin</figcaption></figure>One technique that the group has been developing to collect data remotely is the so-called “podão” [pruning], with the robotics team. It is a drone that flies over the forest to cut twigs and tree branches, which are taken to the laboratories. “With this part of the forest, it is possible to take photographs to identify some species, and also to extract the DNA, in order to produce the barcode”, says the researcher.But this collecting can happen in several other ways, such as using insect traps. “If this trap, for example, captures a mosquito, we can use the blood content of this living being to identify both the species of mosquito we are facing, and to extract the DNA to find out what is inside the mosquito's digestive system. In other words, it is possible to identify which other species of animals this mosquito has bitten and may be present in that forest space.”<figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8qce1p"><div style="position: relative; padding-bottom: 100%; height: 0; "><iframe src="https://www.dailymotion.com/embed/video/x8qce1p" style="position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0; left: 0;" frameborder="0" width="480" height="270" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay"></iframe></div></div></figure><h3 style="text-align:justify;">Green space in the center of Belém is a field of sensations</h3>In the capital of Pará, in Belém, the Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi has the second oldest collection of flora samples in Brazil, behind only the National Museum. The history of the building, recently renovated by the federal government, dates back to the end of the 19th century, in mid-1895, when Swiss naturalist Jacques Huber created the first herbarium in the Amazon. Thus, from the first samples that were kept in Belém, the Goeldi Museum reached the 230 thousand samples currently kept. The collection is stored in rooms with specific temperatures and conditions, in cabinets carefully taken care by museum staff, in addition to items available in the Virtual Herbarium database.Researcher Anna Borges coordinates, with the help of the Herbarium's current curator, André Gil, the activities that keep this collection intact and available to researchers from all around the world. The space hosts several study projects aimed at understanding the biodiversity of the Amazon, in addition to offering assistance with plant identification.“The first portrait of any species, whether the first in a group or the twentieth, is a real recognition of biodiversity,” says Anna. She says that each new record is a little more of the history of biodiversity, and the Emílio Goeldi Museum has fulfilled this role of discovering new species, whether plants or animals. “The [totality of] biodiversity is still far from being completely known. Therefore, the faster it is done, the better, because the growth of cities and projects is fast. Meanwhile, this action puts pressure on biodiversity, and we are growing along with it”, she ponders.<h3 style="text-align:justify;">SEARCHING FOR LIVES</h3>Anna describes that botanical research starts with material collected in the field. Then, the result is deposited in the herbarium, to serve as a testimony of the research. “The testimony serves to make the species scientifically valid. In other words, so that its identification can be replicated. All research carried out require this record. A species, when it is described for the first time, known as the ‘new species’, has a special name, the ‘type’ species. From there, it is possible to confirm other individuals of the same species.”&nbsp;Recalling the field adventures she has had on other continents, such as Europe and Asia, in search of bryophytes, known as moss, the researcher describes that “the beginning of every botanist’s career begins with an interest in a certain group of plants”, and that this interest leads them to go into the field to really find out how the species occurs, where it occurs.“This work is to begin to better understand that group of beings, first collecting until being able to identify new species, which requires a lot of knowledge. Therefore, only with deep knowledge in a certain group of beings, it is possible to arrive at the description of a new species.

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Researchers estimate that 80% of the planet's species have not yet been discovered. Brazilians develop methods and combine technologies such as A.I., e-DNA, bioacoustics and drones to speed up the recognition of forest life, something vital to preservation

Science puts on a spurt to catalogue the Amazon biodiversity

Despite being originally from the Amazon, for many decades cocoa was synonymous with Bahia, a state in the northeastern region of Brazil that led the production of the fruit without competition.&nbsp;In recent years, however, Pará has consolidated itself as the main producer in the country, not only because of the quantity, which, in 2022, reached 50.68% of all the Brazilian production, but also because the state is the largest bank of genetic material of cocoa in the world, with more than two thousand different genotypes.While the average yield of cocoa per hectare is 469 kilos considering the entire Brazilian territory, in Pará, the figures reach 948 kilos, thanks to a convergence of ideal conditions for production in the state.Hélia Moura closely witnessed each step of the growth of cocoa in the Amazon. In 1996, she married a farmer who already worked with fruit production.&nbsp;She left Manaus, Amazonas, where she used to live towards Medicilândia, in southwest Pará.&nbsp;She felt very inspired by her husband, a man she describes as very curious and eager for knowledge, despite being illiterate.&nbsp;Her involvement with the cocoa plantation grew stronger and, in 2006, she decided to study Agronomy at the Federal University of Pará.Today, Hélia is responsible for running the Transamazônica Agroindustrial Cooperative, which, in 2014, launched the Cacauway brand.&nbsp;Cacauway produces chocolate with raw material extracted from municipalities along the BR-230 highway.&nbsp;Medicilândia, alone, is responsible for 30% for the production in Pará – around 70,000 tons of cocoa beans per year.&nbsp;The 40 members of Transamazônica Agroindustrial Cooperative have the capacity to produce 600 thousand tons per year."Some time ago, people thought the cocoa from Pará was not of good quality. This has fallen to the ground. Today, it is synonymous with excellence and the chocolate from Pará is dominating the contests. It is the reflection of a lot of work, because we are looking more and more attentively for the quality of the product, applying processes, testing new things. We have a wide range of varieties that bring a wonderful terroir that only exists here", says the producer.Robson Brogni is also a producer in Medicilândia who manages the Ascurra farm alongside his wife Sarah.&nbsp;In 1985, Sarah's father, Belmiro, already had more than 9,500 cocoa trees planted in his property, which he bought with a lot of sweat, after years saving money as a banana freighter to Belém.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized image-style-side" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/Chocolate_Ascurra_4_882aeca79b.jpeg" alt="Chocolate Ascurra 4.jpeg" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_Chocolate_Ascurra_4_882aeca79b.jpeg 208w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_Chocolate_Ascurra_4_882aeca79b.jpeg 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_Chocolate_Ascurra_4_882aeca79b.jpeg 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_Chocolate_Ascurra_4_882aeca79b.jpeg 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>“Technically speaking, it has already been proven that the great differential of cocoa from Pará is the high concentration of butter”, points out Robson</figcaption></figure>With the support of his wife, Denilze, the business grew and, in 2023, the family's properties total more than 280,000 cocoa trees.Today, they have their own brand of chocolates and specialize in fine almonds awarded throughout Brazil.&nbsp;"Technically speaking, it has already been proven that the great differential of cocoa from Pará is the high concentration of butter, with percentages above 50%. In the Transamazônica region, this percentage approaches 60%. This greatly values ​​our cocoa in terms of quality ", points out Robson.<h2>Production method makes the difference in Pará</h2>According to producer Robson Brogni, fine cocoa requires a special handling protocol from harvest to storage.&nbsp;The counterpart is the design of a product with high added value compared to conventional cocoa, which generates a financial advance that can reach up to 100% more in the final price.Until today, the Executive Committee of the Cocoa Crop Plan, linked to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, distributes seeds to farmers for the production of nurseries.&nbsp;This practice has received strong incentives over the last 50 years and was responsible for start of the cocoa plantation in the region of the Transamazon Highway.<figure class="image image_resized image-style-side" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/Helia_Moura_Producao_de_cacau_4_dcc6032f2b.jpeg" alt="Helia Moura_Produção de cacau 4.jpeg" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_Helia_Moura_Producao_de_cacau_4_dcc6032f2b.jpeg 245w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_Helia_Moura_Producao_de_cacau_4_dcc6032f2b.jpeg 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_Helia_Moura_Producao_de_cacau_4_dcc6032f2b.jpeg 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_Helia_Moura_Producao_de_cacau_4_dcc6032f2b.jpeg 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>At four years of age, cacao trees begin to bear fruit, but it becomes edible only at the age of seven (Courtesy: Helia Moura)</figcaption></figure>After six months in nursery, they can be taken to the field for commercial planting, with a spacing of three by three meters, in a way that, each hectare holds a thousand plants, considering spaces for branches, where producers and machines pass.At four years old, the cacao trees begin to bear fruit, but they only become economically viable at seven years old.In addition, temporary shading provided by banana trees is necessary, which ends up generating extra income for farmers, as bunches of bananas begin to appear after a year of planting.Another technique, the seminal system, has been in use for 10 years in the region. The seedlings are grafted, that is, genetically modified with different tissues, creating new plants and increasing the yield according to the variety of the species that the producer prefers.&nbsp;"They are similar processes, but with modified DNA. The farmer wants a more profitable variety, with more volume. But, as an industry, we want a sweeter and less acidic variation. All of this is calculated. Many people insist on planting cocoa in open sunlight, but the Amazonian cacao tree lives under the forest. The cacao tree in open sunlight is more productive, but it generates more costs from the point of view of sanitary control than one planted in an agroforestry system. In addition to banana trees, there are many experiences of associated crops, including cocoa with açaí", says producer Hélia Moura.<h2>Sustainability is an ally of producers in the region</h2>Nowadays, Hélia sees the fact that there are other alternatives to the system known as “cabruca” as positive. It was not itinerant and consisted of cutting down the forest so that cocoa could be planted.&nbsp;"Now cocoa has nothing to do with deforestation anymore. That was 50 years ago. Today, cocoa works as a replacement for the forest. Farmers even transform pastures into areas for cocoa cultivation. The scenario has changed", says Hélia, excited with the Easter egg sales, which triple the cooperative's turnover and guarantee a reserve of resources for the months of lower demand<figure class="image image_resized image-style-side" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/Helia_Moura_Producao_de_cacau_d24a727f74.jpeg" alt="Helia Moura_Produção de cacau.jpeg" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_Helia_Moura_Producao_de_cacau_d24a727f74.jpeg 208w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_Helia_Moura_Producao_de_cacau_d24a727f74.jpeg 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_Helia_Moura_Producao_de_cacau_d24a727f74.jpeg 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_Helia_Moura_Producao_de_cacau_d24a727f74.jpeg 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>The Amazonian cocoa tree lives under the forest shade, generating a sweeter and less acidic variation (Courtesy: Helia Moura)</figcaption></figure>Robson Brogni agrees that cocoa plays an important role for the forest preservation. He recalls it is a crop that does not expose the soil and also helps to collect carbon dioxide.&nbsp;"And a large part of the workforce comes from family farming, a kind of working directly attached to sustainability. The main companies that buy cocoa are paying close attention to the sustainable aspect of the producing farms", he says.However, he points out that fluctuations in the cocoa price are challenging.&nbsp;"Cocoa almonds, like all commodities, depend on local and global factors to set up at a price, established by the daily fluctuation of the dollar and the New York stock exchange, that is, the cocoa producer does not determine the sale price of the product, even with the very frequently price raising of raw materials and workforce in recent times", he evaluates.<h2>Brazil begins to fulfill increasing world demand</h2>Brazil is not self-sufficient in terms of cocoa production, thus it is necessary to import raw materials to meet national demand.&nbsp;Therefore, the New York stock exchange is the reference to set prices and pairing with the international market.&nbsp;At the end of 2022, cocoa prices increased, resulting in a raising of 3.04% of contracts expiring in March 2023, so prices reached US$ 2,606 per ton of cocoa almond.&nbsp;This is evidence of the high demand for the product and that, according to economist Caio Santos, was enhanced by a shortage of raw materials in 2022.&nbsp;There was a deficit of 230 thousand tons in the world, that is, humanity is producing much less cocoa than is consumed.Santos points out some factors: the main responsible for this production are African countries where there were productivity problems, related to the lower use of fertilizers, whose prices increased.Ghana, the second largest producer in the world, is experiencing an unprecedented economic crisis. In addition, the world is going through a demand recovery process.<figure class="image image_resized image-style-side" style="width:40.85%;"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/Caio_Santos_Divulgacao_Stone_X_Editada_94cf969aba.jpg" alt="Caio Santos (Divulgação_StoneX_Editada).jpg" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_Caio_Santos_Divulgacao_Stone_X_Editada_94cf969aba.jpg 108w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_Caio_Santos_Divulgacao_Stone_X_Editada_94cf969aba.jpg 346w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_Caio_Santos_Divulgacao_Stone_X_Editada_94cf969aba.jpg 520w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_Caio_Santos_Divulgacao_Stone_X_Editada_94cf969aba.jpg 693w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Santos is a cocoa-related risk management consultant for a financial service company (Courtesy/Stone X)</figcaption></figure>"In 10 years, we expect demand to continue expanding, as it is parallel to the demographic growth. There are still many places in the world without chocolate and as urbanization moves on, the demand tends to increase. And since 2020, we've had the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and China was stopped for a long time due to the covid-19. All this results in a very high increase of the cocoa price", he says.Santos is a cocoa-related risk management consultant for a financial service company.According to Caio, these factors could open doors for cocoa from the Amazon. Brazil is the eighth largest cocoa producer in the world.&nbsp;In comparison, Ivory Coast [Côte d'Ivoire] produces ten times more than the entire Brazilian territory.Brazil, however, is considered as an advantageous region for the expansion of cocoa production, due to the much better conditions compared to the African countries, which are responsible for 70% of world production.&nbsp;This is because the Amazon has ideal conditions for production. In addition, production conditions in Africa are very precarious and there are reports of child labor use and illegal deforestation there."The world wants to reduce this dependence on Africa, as companies are pressured to fight against it. In Brazil, as there is much better structure than in African countries, it is supposed that production can grow in a more sustainable way, with better control of deforestation, proper treatment on the land, and greater control of social issues through legislation and inspection. There is huge international interest and it keeps raising", he says.<h2>Amazon cocoa reaches international heights</h2>When he created the Chocolat Festival in 2009, in Bahia, Marco Lessa felt that the potential of Brazilian cocoa deserved more attention and prestige.&nbsp;At the time, Bahia was the main producer of cocoa in Brazil and was facing a severe crisis due to the witches' broom, a parasitic pest that devastated a large part of the planted area in the state and dropped production from 400,000 to 90,000 tons per year."Our goal was to design a platform for everyone to get to know cocoa, to encourage the verticalization of production and add value, promoting tourism also around production, presenting cocoa as a cultural value of our identity", he says.Since then, the festival has grown and gained more and more international interest.In 2013, the festival landed in Pará and, in 2022, an edition was held in Altamira.&nbsp;An international edition, with the aim of introducing Brazilian cocoa to Europe, was held in Portugal.Since the beginning of the festival, more than 300 chocolate brands have already been created in Brazil. Interest in seeds from the Amazon is constantly growing, according to Lessa.<figure class="image image_resized image-style-side" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/Marco_Lessa_5_da8502dbd4.jpeg" alt="Marco Lessa 5.jpeg" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_Marco_Lessa_5_da8502dbd4.jpeg 208w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_Marco_Lessa_5_da8502dbd4.jpeg 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_Marco_Lessa_5_da8502dbd4.jpeg 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_Marco_Lessa_5_da8502dbd4.jpeg 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>&nbsp;Marco Lessa felt that the potential of Brazilian cocoa deserved more attention and prestige (Personal archive)</figcaption></figure>"The Amazon has a very strong marketing appeal, but printing the word “Amazon” on the package is not enough. Cocoa helps to keep the forest standing and there is production by indigenous and riverside peoples. It's a social aspect that the world needs to learn, understand and value. We have unique characteristics in the Trans-Amazon floodplain cocoa, with a very unique flavor. The characteristics of the biome give Amazon cocoa a unique flavor. Cocoa has been domesticated for 5,000 years and it is produced as an agricultural crop for 300 years, but in just a decade, with the support of universities, governments, the press, we promoted a transformation in the production and industrialization of cocoa in the region. The numbers doubled in Pará, with more than 50 brands of chocolates produced", he highlights.For Hélia Moura, witnessing everything that cocoa from the Amazon has become in recent years is a reason for pride.&nbsp;"Cocoa represents life. It is the families’ income, they feel motivated to stay in the countryside, acting like real guardians of the forest. Cocoa has taken us to horizons we’ve never imagined reaching. And we are just getting started".

Helia Moura is proud of how important cocoa from the Amazon became in the last years (personal archive)

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By becoming the main producer in the country, Pará stands out not only for the volume of production, but also for the rich bank of genetic material of the fruit, with more than two thousand different genotypes in the Amazon

Cocoa from Pará conquers the world

Beloved in the popular imagination of the Amazon people, river dolphins [botos] will be object of a study at the Federal Rural University of the Amazon (Ufra) that seeks to better understand the organism of river dolphins and the impact of the interactions with humans on the health of these aquatic mammals in the municipalities of Mocajuba and Cametá in Pará.&nbsp;One species which stands as protagonist of the investigation is the Araguaian river dolphin [Boto do Araguaia - Inia araguaiaensis] – a cetacean recently described in 2014.&nbsp;These mammals inhabit the region of the lower Tocantins River, produce 237 different sounds to communicate and are the third species of river dolphins cataloged in the Amazon.Researcher Layane Maia started her investigation with river dolphins in 2015 and has closely followed the growing interest in the animals.&nbsp;She has also witnessed the intensification of tourism in Mocajuba promoted by them.&nbsp;Now, Layane is developing a doctorate research focused on the health of the species.According to the researcher, her main scientific interest is the hormonal profile of river dolphins, to analyze their metabolic processes.The goal is to check their stress levels, whether there are periods of the day or month when they are likely to be more agitated and what is the relationship between this stress and the sounds they produce, and what each sound signal may represent.&nbsp;<blockquote>"They have a very large vocal repertoire, an indication that there is a very diverse social complexity, with a lot of intelligence, similar to those of the orcas", she points out.</blockquote>The study will last 36 months and is currently in the stage of testing and standardization of protocols and methodologies.&nbsp;The project will also analyze diseases and pathogen risks, as there are doubts about how well the animals' health is ensured during interactions with humans, considering both humans and river dolphins may transmit diseases to each other."There are well-grounded researches about whales, but not yet about river dolphins. We believe that we are going to observe influences depending on more or less visitations. As the animals are in direct context of interaction with humans, we are going to check the issues of water quality and also of pathogens in the intestines, blood and breathing tract of the animals. It will be a thorough health study, important for the preservation of the species", she says.<h2>Study is unprecedented and challenging</h2>Layane evaluates the operation as ambitious. First, because river dolphins are restless beings and taking them out of the water for blood testing will not be an easy task.&nbsp;Second, because scientists will need to examine the animals' spray, that is, their breathing. In river dolphins, breathing occurs through the spiracle, a small hole in the head of the animal that has a function similar to that of the nose.&nbsp;The researchers will need to momentarily cover this hole with a cylindrical container to collect the droplets exhaled at the time of breathing.&nbsp;The third challenge is to create specific methodological procedures, since this is an unprecedented study and without previous literature to ‘teach you the ropes’."We don't even have an estimate of the number of freshwater river dolphins in the Araguaia. Before 2014, we thought that only the pink river dolphin existed here. So, the classification of the species is still vulnerable, and we have few studies", she adds.Professor Frederico Ozanan is also part of the Institute for Biology and Conservation of Aquatic Mammals in the Amazon (BioMA) where Layane works.&nbsp;The institute is an initiative that has gone deeper and deeper into the study of Amazonian river dolphins.For him, cataloging the physiological parameters and organisms functionality of endemic species is important for the world to know that the Amazonian people, themselves, care about the region's ecosystem and that they are fighting to preserve it by scientific means.&nbsp;He agrees that the originality of the study represents a big challenge, but he is confident."They are docile animals and used to humans, but we will need to contain them a bit. This is not easy. We are still studying how all this will work out. It is a risk for those who are handling them and for the animals themselves, as they will be removed from the water. The laboratory work will be easier. There are many people, and many people will be around at the collection site, as it will take place in the center of Mocajuba. It is not possible to say that there is no risk. We have already managed other studies on river dolphins, but not in the same context", recalls Professor Ozanan, who belongs to a team of ten researchers linked to the project, which counts on the support of the Federal University of Alagoas and the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco.<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/Pesquisadores_e_botos_Ascom_Ufra_166ddd9af8.jpeg" alt="Pesquisadores e botos_Ascom Ufra.jpeg" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_Pesquisadores_e_botos_Ascom_Ufra_166ddd9af8.jpeg 234w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_Pesquisadores_e_botos_Ascom_Ufra_166ddd9af8.jpeg 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_Pesquisadores_e_botos_Ascom_Ufra_166ddd9af8.jpeg 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_Pesquisadores_e_botos_Ascom_Ufra_166ddd9af8.jpeg 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Research investigates secrets of the intelligence and health of the species that charms the region and its visitors (Ascom/Ufra)</figcaption></figure>Angélica Rodrigues, who is also a researcher at BioMA, participated in the first research group on river dolphins in the region, back in 2006. She is happy to see the work she helped to start up growing and gaining momentum."In the beginning, we didn't have any research that told the natural history, occurrence and ecology of the species. That is, people saw the dolphins but there was nothing systematically produced about them. The main obstacle is financial support, so in our group we help each other with both the research and also with fundraising. The North region still has little visibility when it comes to scientific research", affirms Angelica.<h2>Hydroelectric dams and predatory fishing are obstacles to the survival of the species</h2>River dolphins have always been pointed out as endangered species and this scenario is not different with the Araguaian river dolphins.&nbsp;This fragility is explained by the several sources of danger linked to their habitat, the rivers. The number one factor is represented by hydroelectric dams.&nbsp;According to the National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel), there are 221 hydroelectric plants operating in the Amazon.&nbsp;There are 27 classified as large, 102 as medium and small and 92 as microgenerators. Another 35 dams are under construction or on the way to construction, including in the Araguaia-Tocantins basin, where the newly discovered river dolphins live.&nbsp;"This creates a risk of geographic isolation, unfortunately. Imagine that: there is the construction of a dam where the animals will no longer be able to move along that stretch of the river, in which they used to have free access. It affects the ecosystem", says Layane Maia.<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/Researchers_Gabriel_Melo_e_Layane_Maia_have_big_expectations_for_the_study_Layane_Maia_ae3a2802ae.jpeg" alt="Researchers Gabriel Melo e Layane Maia have big expectations for the study (Layane Maia)" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_Researchers_Gabriel_Melo_e_Layane_Maia_have_big_expectations_for_the_study_Layane_Maia_ae3a2802ae.jpeg 245w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_Researchers_Gabriel_Melo_e_Layane_Maia_have_big_expectations_for_the_study_Layane_Maia_ae3a2802ae.jpeg 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_Researchers_Gabriel_Melo_e_Layane_Maia_have_big_expectations_for_the_study_Layane_Maia_ae3a2802ae.jpeg 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_Researchers_Gabriel_Melo_e_Layane_Maia_have_big_expectations_for_the_study_Layane_Maia_ae3a2802ae.jpeg 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Layane Maia and Gabriel Melo are excited about the study (Personal file)</figcaption></figure>Conflicts with fishermen also add to the list. The river dolphins have powerful mobility skills and are remarkably fast and dexterous.&nbsp;This is because they do not possess a fused cervical vertebra, a characteristic that gives them great neck and head mobility, something that other dolphins and cetaceans are deprived of.&nbsp;Normally, the Araguaian river dolphins feed themselves in flooded places, such as the igapó forests, right in the middle of the aquatic roots.&nbsp;But, when the fisherman throws the net and the animal perceives the effortless opportunity of getting food, it swims hard towards the fishing equipment, bites it, turns its neck and tears the net.&nbsp;"That is, loss for the fisherman. This competition between fisherman and river dolphins is something that we need to mediate with caution", says Maia.In addition, river dolphin meat is used as bait for fishing picaratinga in the Amazon River basin, an activity that has already led to an estimated killing of 300 to 4,000 river dolphins per year, according to the National Institute for Research in the Amazon (Inpa).&nbsp;Currently, fishing for this species, also known as “douradinha” fish, is prohibited until at least July 2, 2023.&nbsp;Institutions that promote protection of river dolphins are fighting to postpone the expiration date of the law, established in 2015 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply.&nbsp;Fishing for this species is also prohibited in Colombia.<h2>Myths and legends</h2>The folklore that surrounds the image of “botos” is also a challenge for the animals' survival.&nbsp;The legend that they come out of the river and transform into charming men in white clothes and persuasive talk is still powerful in small towns in the interior of the Amazon region.&nbsp;The alleged magical form that the animal disguises itself and the belief that they will impregnate the girls who live along the river may cause fear and negative interactions with humans, resulting in aggression.&nbsp;According to researcher Layane Maia, reports like that are common.&nbsp;"So, all this is added: the “boto” tears the net apart, it's naughty, it emerges out of the river and shapeshifts as a man, it has human capacity and intelligence. It's very fast. There are some of its organs used in “pajelança” rituals and sometimes, if the “boto” is vulnerable, it is killed. In Cametá, there are many river dolphins with signs of aggression", she reports.Ricardo Calazans, researcher in charge for the Mirante do Boto space, in Mocajuba, says that many fishermen do not respect the river dolphins, but that they are a minority.&nbsp;According to him, the killing of dolphins is much more common in the state of Amazonas, which has more riverside regions far from cities.&nbsp;Calazans says that many residents often alert him when they notice that a “boto” is injured."Here, it is very common people saying that they've danced with the boto, that they have a daughter with the boto, that the boto took a niece to a party. Still, I'd say that 90% of riverine people respect and take care of the boto", he says.<h2>River dolphin tour enhances ecological tourism in Mocajuba</h2>Created in 2016, Mirante do Boto is the hit of tourism in Mocajuba, a municipality in the northeast of Pará.&nbsp;They are 17 dolphins, from young to adults, that go every day to swim, play and eat near the Municipal Market of Mocajuba.&nbsp;Due to such success, the space became an official tourist place promoted by the city hall, under the responsibility of Ricardo Calazans.&nbsp;The researcher wrote a final graduation paper work focused on the river dolphins in Mocajuba, his hometown.&nbsp;Today, he is dedicated to research the habits of cetaceans and managing the place that receives up to a thousand people a week during the Amazonian summer.&nbsp;In the rainy season, the visiting flow drops to 200 people.The river dolphins arrive around six in the morning and, at noon, they leave for the waters furthest from human contact.&nbsp;Each group of visitors interacts 10 to 15 minutes with the animals, to prevent them from becoming stressed. Tourists also feed the river dolphins.<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/Ricardo_Calazans_com_os_botos_1_876a5a7422.jpeg" alt="Ricardo Calazans says he loves the " srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_Ricardo_Calazans_com_os_botos_1_876a5a7422.jpeg 178w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_Ricardo_Calazans_com_os_botos_1_876a5a7422.jpeg 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_Ricardo_Calazans_com_os_botos_1_876a5a7422.jpeg 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_Ricardo_Calazans_com_os_botos_1_876a5a7422.jpeg 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Ricardo takes care of the botos in Mocajuba, which receive up to a thousand visits a week (Personal file)</figcaption></figure>"We have to be very careful, because the food given are small portions of fish sold in the street market stands. But they don't eat all kinds of fish. We have to inspect everything beforehand, to double check if it's the ideal fish, if it has bones. They eat mapará, tucunaré and filhote. In addition to supervising the fish given, we make a previous presentation sharing some guidelines", he says.All river dolphins have their own names and Calazans guarantees that he recognizes each one from a far distance.&nbsp;"The 17 river dolphins never show up together. We've already noticed that the fewer visitors we have, the more they show up. Some are a bit wild. But we have a daily average of 5 to 7 dolphins swimming around the market every day", he says.Ricardo says he is excited about the research about the health of these animals.&nbsp;According to the researcher, working at Mirante has changed his life and is a reason for happiness and pride.&nbsp;"I had a friend and his father used to sell fish at the market. When I was a child, I noticed that he would always go there, grab a little fish and give it to the “boto”. As soon as I started to study at the university, I told my professor about the idea of researching the river dolphins in my city. Since then, I started to visit the place and always check out the conditions of the river dolphins, if they were fine, take care of them voluntarily. So, the city mayor hired me. I created the page on Instagram [@botosdemocajuba] and we have now more than 30,000 followers. It was an incredible thing. They are little “botos” that I love from the bottom of my heart, I fight for them and I do anything for them", he says.Currently, Ricardo has the support of a veterinarian who monitors the health of the animals on a weekly basis.&nbsp;According to him, most of the scratches and bites that appear on the river dolphins are the result of fights among themselves.&nbsp;"Usually, there are just superficial scratches. People are invited to visit the Mirante, it's all free, but “you can't be too careful”. Here, we guide the interaction step by step. And we always ask people to preserve them. This phenomenon of the river dolphins moving towards human contact is very special and only occurs in two places in the world: here and in Manaus. So, we have to take care of them and do everything the right way", he says.For researcher Frederico Ozanan, from Ufra, one of the great achievements of the research project will be the tourist organization of the interaction.&nbsp;"Based on the conclusions, we will be able to better control how many people per day will interact with them and how, besides nutritional control of the amount of food given to the animals. We will be able to help the city hall and environmental agencies to structure, in a safer way, the visits", he points out.

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Portrayed in 2014, aquatic mammals are a hit among tourists who visit Mocajuba, in Northeastern Pará. Now, they are the object of a study conducted by the Federal Rural University of the Amazon, which will analyze the impacts of human interaction, with the aim of protecting them.

The Araguaian river dolphins

If you are reading this article in the printed newspaper, under the light of a lamp, or in the digital version, on a computer screen, you are not part of the more than one million people in the Legal Amazon (1,154,916, in exact numbers) who do not have any access to electricity, according to data from the Ministry of Mines and Energy. In Pará, data shows that 709,196 people live under these conditions. To tackle the problem, a project proposed by the Federal University of Pará (UFPA) has been a real ‘light at the end of the tunnel’, providing clean energy to riverside communities near Belém.For at least six years, the project of “Grupo de Estudos e Desenvolvimento de Alternativas Energéticas” (Gedae) [Group of Study and Development of Energy Alternatives] at UFPA has been working on the capture, storage and distribution of photovoltaic energy on “Ilha das Onças”, a location that belongs to the municipality of Barcarena, in the Northeast of Pará state, and about 30 minutes from the capital by river. Most of the approximately 30,000 families living there do not have any access to electricity via public distribution system, and depend on private solutions to obtain energy, such as the use of diesel or gasoline generators. In addition to being expensive, these resources are polluters and can affect local biodiversity.João Alves de Araújo, 58 years old, resident on Ilha das Onça, reinforces this scenario. He is the first beneficiary of the project. João, who has lived in the area for most of his life, with his wife and four children, remembers how difficult daily life was before having access to solar energy: "I'm from the time the only light here was the oil lamp. It was difficult, because we needed energy, but we could only keep the generator running from 6pm to 9pm. It wasn't possible to keep a refrigerator on like that, food spoiled", he says.<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/foto_pesquisa_Gedae_Itec_UFPA_2_ea5ba6f3ba.jpeg" alt="Most of the approximately 30,000 families living there do not have any access to electricity via public distribution system" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_foto_pesquisa_Gedae_Itec_UFPA_2_ea5ba6f3ba.jpeg 208w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_foto_pesquisa_Gedae_Itec_UFPA_2_ea5ba6f3ba.jpeg 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_foto_pesquisa_Gedae_Itec_UFPA_2_ea5ba6f3ba.jpeg 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_foto_pesquisa_Gedae_Itec_UFPA_2_ea5ba6f3ba.jpeg 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Most of the approximately 30,000 families living there do not have any access to electricity via public distribution system (GedaeItecUFPA)</figcaption></figure>The resident says it was very difficult to bear the expenses of a generator considering the families income, because the equipment consumed around two liters of diesel oil per day, totaling a cost of approximately 400 reais per month. "There was still the cost for ice, which we had to buy at 10 reais a bag to keep the açaí for another day. If you do the math, at the end of the month, it wouldn't be possible to keep it", says João.According to Professor Wilson Negrão, member of Gedae and coordinator of the Photovoltaic Systems Laboratory at the Institute of Technology (Itec) at UFPA, it was the perception of this reality that motivated the team to go beyond the university walls. Based on the concept of energy justice, which assesses inequalities in the distribution of energy and the impacts of its generation, the researchers sought alternatives to provide electrical energy in the region in a way that provided better cost-benefit for communities and the environment, as he explains: "(On Ilha das Onças) they didn't have energy. They usually had generators on for three or four hours a day, at most, and spent a large part of their income to pay fuel costs. Then, the first stage was planned to go beyond the university, in 2017, and bring this concept of ‘energy justice’ to these families, so they can develop and grow too", he comments.In practice, Wilson says that the group began to implement a photovoltaic energy generation system that operates in a modular way, with systems that are connected to allow energy to be shared. It started with just one generator system, in João Alves' house. Now, it already covers a 500-meter-long network, interconnecting 12 buildings, in addition to a local church.<h1>Extra income</h1>"Our situation here has improved a lot. Today, my wife sells “chopp” [popsicle], prepares ice cream to sell. We can also store and sell fruit pulp. In other words, extra income thanks to energy, every house has a little shop", says John. According to the resident, the community already has eight refrigerators in good condition, and in every house, there are fans and various other electronic devices to make daily life easier. "Before, we slept in the dark and in the heat. And there were still a lot of bat attacks, because of the dark. Not anymore", celebrates João.<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/foto_pesquisa_Gedae_Itec_UFPA_3_8d122da95f.jpeg" alt="foto pesquisa GedaeItecUFPA (3).jpeg" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_foto_pesquisa_Gedae_Itec_UFPA_3_8d122da95f.jpeg 117w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_foto_pesquisa_Gedae_Itec_UFPA_3_8d122da95f.jpeg 375w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_foto_pesquisa_Gedae_Itec_UFPA_3_8d122da95f.jpeg 563w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_foto_pesquisa_Gedae_Itec_UFPA_3_8d122da95f.jpeg 750w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>According to Professor Wilson Negrão, member of Gedae and coordinator of the Photovoltaic Systems Laboratory at the Institute of Technology (Itec) at UFPA, it was the perception of this reality that motivated the team to go beyond the university walls (GedaeItecUFPA)</figcaption></figure><h1>Project seeks partnerships for electric boats</h1>From a technical point of view, Professor Wilson Negrão highlights that the distinguishing feature of implemented system is that it operates on direct current which, unlike the alternating current (of the conventional electrical system) is capable of operating with fewer failures and a great capacity for integration into the photovoltaic system.<blockquote>"With the system, which has already proven to be very robust, it is possible for residents to use energy for practically everything: lighting, ventilation, water pumping, sockets, refrigeration, etc. Including açaí blending machines, which was more or less developed by ourselves: we studied conventional machines and, from that, we made a motor that could operate on direct current and now they can even blend açaí using solar energy", says the professor.</blockquote>In addition to revolutionizing everyday life in homes, the project also hopes to transform the way riverside residents move between the islands, through the creation of engines powered by solar energy. The subject is of great interest to residents like João Alves, who works in passenger transport.“Rabetas” are small boats often used by riverine people for rapid moving along rivers. They are commonly powered either by gasoline or diesel engine, which pollute the environment during use and also during the maintenance process, releasing quantities of oil into rivers. With the boat powered by photovoltaic electricity, this environmental and financial cost would be eliminated.According to Professor Wilson, there is already a “rabeta” running on solar energy. The electrical system in the locality has a recharging station for the boat, operating in parallel with the household network: when the “rabeta” is not being used, this recharging station powers the equipment that supplies the households' demands, so there is no waste or underutilization of resources.There is an expectation that the project will have five more sustainable “rabetas”, but this innovation depends on investments that have not yet been achieved. "The problem is that this engine is not found in Brazil and there is a lot of bureaucracy to purchase it through the project. If I bought it apart from the project, for example, a five-kilowatt engine would cost around R$ 15 thousand. But we hope to get support to purchase it in the future. It's a worthwhile project that pays for itself for several reasons", guarantees the professor.<h1>Professor points out challenges to the expansion of the initiative</h1>The success of the project and the direct benefits to the residents benefitted by the photovoltaic system have made other residents of Ilha das Onças want to be part of it. Mr. João comments that the neighbors living in houses that are not yet part of the network hope the initiative will grow so that they can also be benefited by it."There is still a big demand, a lot of people who need this in the neighborhood", says João. "They want to know how it works. Although we explain it, some of them end up thinking they are being neglected. But it doesn't depend on us, it depends on the government, and they do not always approve the projects".Even for reaching the stage it is at now, as Professor Wilson explains, the project had to overcome limitations regarding the difficulty in accessing resources: “The community helps. A good part of the equipment came from them. During some stages, we came in with the modules and they came in with controllers and batteries; other times, we came in with circuit breakers and they came in with modules, and that’s how we kept the development going”, says Wilson.In addition to being beneficial for the community, the initiative has also worked as a great real-life laboratory for students at the UFPA Institute of Technology. They are constantly involving themselves and learning more, while helping to improve the lives of people living on Ilha das Onças.<blockquote>"The entire system implemented on the island is monitored by the project, and the students actively participate, installing and maintaining the network. It is a large experimental laboratory, teaching many people the expertise of developing and installing a system to be used by isolated communities."</blockquote><h1>Project aims to end the lack of cellphone signal on the islands</h1>Another challenge for those who live on the Amazonian islands is the lack of cellphone signal, which leaves many locations incommunicable and with restricted access to information, making daily life difficult for the population. Though it is not just the isolated communities (far from urban centers) that experience this problem. According to a study that began within the scope of the Centro Universitário do Pará (Cesupa), even islands close to the Metropolitan Region of Belém (RMB), such as Ilha das Onças, Cotijuba and Combu, face the same difficulty. A project, the result of Zenith Inova, a startup incubated by Cesupa, took the initiative to try to reverse this reality.<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/foto_Zenith_Inova_1_bca48b6c0b.jpg" alt="foto Zenith Inova (1).jpg" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_foto_Zenith_Inova_1_bca48b6c0b.jpg 117w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_foto_Zenith_Inova_1_bca48b6c0b.jpg 375w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_foto_Zenith_Inova_1_bca48b6c0b.jpg 563w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_foto_Zenith_Inova_1_bca48b6c0b.jpg 750w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>The businessman explains that operators use a satellite system to locate points on the earth where it is possible to install telephone antennas (Zenith Inova)</figcaption></figure>Enabling the implementation of telephone networks on the islands of the region is the goal of AmazOmnia, the only project from Pará to be selected to participate in the area of Information and Communication Technology by Programa Nacional Sinapse da Bioeconomia [Bioeconomy Synapse National Program], which promotes innovative ventures within the Brazilian Amazon. The initiative is in its testing stage, and aims to begin changing reality on the islands through communication.The executive director of Zenith Inova, Gabriel Marcelino, explains that the idea came about after observing the precariousness of the mobile data infrastructure on islands close to the RMB. During the visits, it was possible to observe that boatmen from Ilha das Onças, for example, needed to cross the river to Belém to talk on the phone. Given this, a group of researchers sought to understand this difficulty in the region.“We collected data from Anatel and saw that a large part of the region does not have a signal or 2G, which is the least required connection for calls. We started traveling around some islands close to RMB, which were expected to be receiving signal but weren't, and talked to locals. According to the telephone companies, when contacted, the justification was that the islands did not have an optimal spot where to implement an antenna, so they did not receive a signal”, says Gabriel.The businessman explains that operators use a satellite system to locate points on the earth where it is possible to install telephone antennas. However, due to the dense forest in several parts of the region, the system was unable to locate a suitable point. It was then that the project came up with the solution:“The idea is that, using drones to carry out this mapping, we locate the best point for companies to install the signal antenna, facilitating this process for operators to offer the service to communities. We use heat map data that indicates positions where there is no internet signal from operators”, explains the CEO.<h1>Potential</h1>In one year of operation, AmazOmnia has already carried out surveys on three islands in the region – Ilha das Onças, Cotijuba and Combu – and is in the research analysis and testing stage. “What we are seeing now is our impact indicators, we are evaluating the market possibilities so that these companies will recognize the potential in these regions”, says Gabriel.For the executive director, one of the great benefits of having cellphone connection on the islands will be easier communication with and between the residents, but it won’t be the only one. “With companies operating there, schools will have access to better quality internet, not just via satellite, which has very weak signal. Furthermore, business owners will be able to operate more easily if they have internet connection. A restaurant in Combu, for example, was unable to use credit card machines as it should, especially during peak hours. This is a loss that can be reversed”, he concludes.

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Projects carried out in universities break the isolation of riverside communities in Pará, bringing development by means of electricity and cell phone signal. The first results have already started to appear

The whole world is an island

How has a poisonous root become a fundamental part of the diet of those who live in the Amazon until it was finally considered the "bread of Brazil"? Cassava (Manihot Esculenta Crantz) derivatives – flours, starch, etc. – are only suitable for consumption after careful preparation to remove all the poison – hydrocyanic acid. Conversely, the edible version of cassava – macaxeira – can be eaten after a short preparation time. As well as being the basis of a flour that is almost compulsory on Amazonian people's tables,&nbsp;this root&nbsp;is becoming an important option for those with dietary restrictions, according to scientific studies carried out in Pará.The largest producer of cassava in Brazil, the state of Pará, produced a total of 4.1 million tons of the product that is part of the staple diet of the majority of the Amazonian population. Data from the "Municipal Agricultural Production" survey by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) indicates that the state's production generated R$3.1 million in revenue in 2022. In second place is Paraná, with R$2.3 million; and São Paulo, with R$1.1 million.Experts point out that a large part of local production is still not exported. Soy, for example, has a lot of output from Pará. There were 2.5 tons produced in Pará, generating R$ 7.4 million for the sector in 2022 – almost double the revenue generated by cassava production.Largest Cassava Producers in Brazil (2022)<figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td>STATE</td><td>TONS PRODUCED</td><td>REVENUE</td></tr><tr><td>Pará</td><td>4.157.308</td><td>R$ 3.174.826</td></tr><tr><td>Paraná</td><td>2.906.873</td><td>R$ 2.335.139</td></tr><tr><td>São Paulo</td><td>1.427.939</td><td>R$ 1.107.204</td></tr><tr><td>Rio Grande do Sul</td><td>661.054</td><td>R$ 1.095.215</td></tr><tr><td>Mato Grosso do Sul</td><td>957.446</td><td>R$ 983.208</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>Source: PAM / IBGEWhat the researchers explain is that Pará is also an important consumer of the root, since it is part of the Amazonian food culture – unlike soy, which is exported to be processed in other states and countries. In Pará, most production takes place in the municipalities of Acará, Santarém, Oriximiná, Alenquer and Óbidos – with the majority being destined for flour, consumed in the state itself.<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/Whats_App_Image_2023_12_21_at_18_25_59_4_dca87adc80.jpeg" alt="WhatsApp Image 2023-12-21 at 18.25.59 (4).jpeg" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_Whats_App_Image_2023_12_21_at_18_25_59_4_dca87adc80.jpeg 235w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_Whats_App_Image_2023_12_21_at_18_25_59_4_dca87adc80.jpeg 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_Whats_App_Image_2023_12_21_at_18_25_59_4_dca87adc80.jpeg 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_Whats_App_Image_2023_12_21_at_18_25_59_4_dca87adc80.jpeg 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Flour's production on state of Pará. CREDITS: Carlos Borges&nbsp;</figcaption></figure>The flour made of cassava (or manioc flour), the tucupi, the maniva [ground cassava leave], the tapioca and even the tacacá (made with jambu, tucupi and cooked tapioca starch, which became even more famous with the hit song by Pará singer, Joelma) are all foods derived from the root considered to be native to South America – staple diet for 1 billion people, especially in developing countries such as Brazil – according to the&nbsp;Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária &nbsp;(Embrapa) [Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation].<h3>Origin</h3>It is widely known in the region that cassava cultivation has indigenous origins. Science reports that the consumption of cassava derivatives comes from the process of colonization in the Amazon – a determining factor linking the ancient culture of this root to what is eaten in the region today. In the Amazon, it is as if rice may be missing from the table, but cassava flour, never.The focus of cassava cultivation in Brazil is the production of flour, but part of it &nbsp;has been&nbsp;destined for starch (20% of national production, according to Embrapa). Projects developed in Pará show that the experience, in addition to flour, can help provide new forms of food for those with dietary restrictions, such as gluten intolerance. Cassava starch, then, replaces wheat in products such as cookies, cheese bread, sweets and cakes, among others.<h3>An ancient culture in a new spotlight</h3><figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8qs4sk"><div style="position: relative; padding-bottom: 100%; height: 0; "><iframe src="https://www.dailymotion.com/embed/video/x8qs4sk" style="position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0; left: 0;" frameborder="0" width="480" height="270" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay"></iframe></div></div></figure>Professor Priscilla Andrade is a lecturer on the Food Science and Technology Program at the Federal Rural University of Amazonia (UFRA). She coordinates the project "Quality of Açaí and Cassava Planting Systems in the Southeast of Pará", investigating mainly nutritional properties, new uses for the market and innovative craft products."The cassava chain has everything to grow. We can use absolutely everything from it, nothing is wasted. The peels can be used for feed, soil fertilizer; the leaves can be processed into “maniva” &nbsp;and this “maniva” can also be a more concentrated product, dehydrated, and sold in small volumes. So, there are many alternatives for this very rich chain in the Amazon," she explains.The professor’s&nbsp;research start at home, where she lives with her son who has dietary restrictions linked to cornstarch and wheat. "I spend most of my life running around trying to put together and balance the diet, not just for him, but for everyone at home. It's a race against time, which we have to face in order to replace the diet. These are extremely sensitive alternatives, and cassava has been successful in filling this lack of possibilities for those with restrictions – that's what I've shown in my scientific work," says the professor."I have accompanied many mothers of children, many of whom were born with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and what we have seen is that the drugs administered to treat comorbidities conflict with a diet rich in gluten and lactose, that is, also derived from soy. So, the first recommendation in this treatment has been a gluten-free diet. The expansion of cassava production is a public health need, and that's what we're showing, as well as guidance so that starch production is strengthened from cassava and that this information be very visible on nutritional labels," says Priscilla.For the professor, the production of small producers should be given a "more intensified look". "Cassava is roughly produced by small producers in the Amazon, so we need incentive policies aimed at the importance of this production here in the region. We have noticed this, and we have provided training courses and support, through UFRA, for these producers, especially in the rural areas of the southeastern region of Pará," she explains.<h3>"There is no more practical product than flour," says researcher</h3>With more than 20 books published on agriculture in the Amazon, Embrapa researcher Alfredo Homma says that he considers manioc to be one of the great discoveries of the indigenous people of the Amazon. "There is no more practical product than flour, which is easy to preserve and transport. This cultivation began around 3,500 years ago, in the Amazon, and I find it very interesting to ask myself who might have been the first indigenous person to try this root, a poisonous plant, and discover that it could be eaten. We don't know who he was, but science reports that this may have arisen from the observation of other animals, which ate the cassava 'potato', and this perception has brought us this food up to the present, feeding almost 1 billion people in the world," says Homma."I once read that flour on the plate warms up what's cold; inside the belly it gives sustenance. This food culture placed Brazil in the position of world's largest cassava producer until 1990, when it was overtaken by Nigeria in Africa, which is now the leading producer," explains the professor.Homma says there are still limits to this production, speaking of the Amazon. “Unfortunately, our cassava production here in Pará, for example, is still lower than it could be. There is still considerable idle productivity. We need to improve this process, which is so important for our culture, our gastronomy, and which is increasingly being overtaken by soybean cultivation, for example.”<div class="raw-html-embed"><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/liberal-amazon/embed/episodes/Liberal-Amazon-Mandioca-the-bread-of-the-Amazon-against-hunger-e2dhteo" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><h3>The origin of manioc</h3>There is a legend told by Amazon indigenous people, published in the research work in Applied Linguistics and Language Studies by Maria do Carmo Pereira Coelho, which deals with the origin of cassava. The discovery meant that a poisonous plant found its way onto the plates of millions of people around the world:"In a certain Indigenous tribe, the chief's daughter was pregnant. When the chief learned of this, he was very sad, as he had dreamed that his daughter would marry a strong and illustrious warrior. However, she was expecting a child from a stranger. One night, the chief dreamt that a white man appeared in front of him telling him not to be sad, because his daughter would not deceive him; she was still pure. From that day on, the chief became cheerful and treated his daughter well again. A few moons passed and the Indian gave birth to a beautiful girl with very white and delicate skin who was given the name MANI. Mani was a very intelligent and cheerful child and was much loved by everyone in the tribe. But one sunny morning, Mani didn't wake up as early as usual. Her mother went to wake her up and found her dead. Desperate, the Indian decided to bury her at the entrance to the maloca. Every day the grave was watered by her mother's longing tears. One day, when Mani's mother went to the grave to water it again with her tears, she noticed that a new plant had sprung up there. It was a totally different plant from the others, and unknown to all Indians in the forest. Mani's mother began to look after this little plant with the utmost care, until one day she noticed that the earth around it was cracking. The Indian woman imagined that her daughter was coming back to life and, full of hope, began to dig up the earth. In the place of her beloved little girl, she found the thick roots of a plant as white as milk, which became the staple food of all the indigenous tribes."

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FOOD - An ancient culture that has gained strength in the hands of forest people, the plant from which everything is made use of, and which is the basis of national cuisine could be the solution to the challenges posed by dietary restrictions in Brazil.

Cassava: the "bread of the Amazon" against hunger

Fostering and promoting solutions for sustainable development has a strategic status for Amazon. It is not by chance that the encouragement of projects that complement this issue have become the work axis of many organizations. However, an individual performance of an institution increasingly comes from private sector networks, civil society entities and State authorities, which plays a leading role in particular actions at the time and in the implementation that are particular to new perspectives for the region.This is what is called multistakeholder arrangements or multisectoral governance.&nbsp;&nbsp;It is a form of management with a center of attention on solving problems, having as focus the identification and implementation of actions shared by the actors affected or capable of influencing (stakeholders) the course of an issue. One of the principles that guides multisectorialism is precisely the collective commitment with a determined cause, in which impacts the democratic debate and the consensual search for forms of action.In this sense, promoting development initiatives has become a strategic issue for many networks. The Vale Fund has been working for 12 years in the field of promotion to structuring projects and impact businesses that focus on sustainability components in their economical, social and environmental aspects, especially in regions under strong pressure, such as the Amazon. that could be applied to the management of the enterprise, in the market, in marketing, as well as in favor of social and human capital and knowledge production.<blockquote>We believe that a fairer and more sustainable economy is a structuring issue for a more sustainable Amazon. Offering a less predatory income alternative helps protect the forest, recover degraded areas and improve people's lives. Therefore, we have focused on this economic component in our initiatives, as a lever for social progress and environmental conservation, she says.</blockquote><figure class="image image_resized image-style-side" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/Foto_Patricia_Daros_625607b455.jpg" alt="Patrícia Daros" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_Foto_Patricia_Daros_625607b455.jpg 117w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_Foto_Patricia_Daros_625607b455.jpg 375w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Patrícia Daros, Operations Director at Fundo Vale, says that a sustainable environment protects the forest and improves people's lives</figcaption></figure>Since 2010, Vale Fund has supported 90 projects and 236 businesses with a positive socio-environmental impact in different regions, but primarily in the Amazon, in addition to having invested more than BRL 212 million by 2021. Among the local initiatives benefited are: AMAZ Aceleradora de Impacto, a partnership with Idesam whose focus is investment in businesses that keep the forest standing; the Amazon Journey, developed by the Certi Foundation, with the aim of boosting the ecosystem of innovation and businesses with a positive impact on the Amazon; and the CX Fund Emergency Credit Line, aimed at supporting cooperatives and family farming and extractivism associations affected by the covid-19 pandemic.Vale Fund has also been working to encourage proposals aligned with the “Impact Carbon” concept, that is, businesses structured for the forest carbon credit market, a global trend in which Amazon can play a leading role. “The Amazon plays a very important role in this context, both because of its continuum of forest and biodiversity, as well as the areas&nbsp;that are already deforested, but can be recovered. But to make more sense, we need to involve and benefit the 38 million inhabitants who live there, especially those who help keep the forest standing”, points out Patrícia Daros.These and other projects have their implementation, execution and results carefully observed by management tools and impact measurement, with analysis of indicators and goals achieved. And in all of this, stands out the alignment with the common objectives that bring Vale Fund closer to other institutions. “We have participated in multistakeholder arrangements to understand who works with which themes in the biome, their points of view and with which we have synergy to build partnerships”, says the Director of Operations, stressing the importance of building projects in a participatory manner.One of these multisectoral platforms is Parceiros pela Amazônia (PPA), a network organization that brings together 50 companies of various sizes, civil society organizations and international groups around the leverage of social and environmental investments to face the Amazonian challenges, in particular the related to the empowerment of forest populations and the conservation of biodiversity.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/Foto_Augusto_1d5a3741e5.jpg" alt="Foto Augusto.jpg" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_Foto_Augusto_1d5a3741e5.jpg 234w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_Foto_Augusto_1d5a3741e5.jpg 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_Foto_Augusto_1d5a3741e5.jpg 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_Foto_Augusto_1d5a3741e5.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Augusto Corrêa, executive secretary of the PPA, highlights the participation of communities.</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;<blockquote>The first aims to strengthen the participation potential of those who already inhabit the territories, observing the guarantee of their rights and promoting opportunities for training, learning and inclusion. The second is intended to keep the resource reserve resilient, so that it can be used indefinitely and bring greater added value to the production of the forest, says Augusto Corrêa, executive secretary of the PPA.</blockquote>The action strategy is based around thematic groups on entrepreneurship, bioeconomy, markets and territories. In these spaces, different actors of society participate to discuss and think about programs and projects for the Amazon. Today, there are 10 initiatives supported by the PPA in these areas, generating direct impacts for local development and for strengthening impact businesses.“By joining efforts, knowledge and resources, it is possible to generate more resilient, long-term opportunities that are completely coherent with the needs of the territory. The PPA encourages the creation of partnerships as its main strategy, admitting that the sum is also capable of multiplying”, highlights Augusto Corrêa.In the same sense, Renata Piazzon, director of Instituto Arapyaú and executive secretary of Concertação pela Amazônia, believes that it is with the union of efforts, sectors and resources that it is possible to create a disruptive model of development for the region, in which all its complexity with its different biomes, landscapes and modes of use and occupation of territories.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/49589496251_185f63f0da_k_556ad62da8.jpg" alt="49589496251_185f63f0da_k.jpg" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_49589496251_185f63f0da_k_556ad62da8.jpg 230w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_49589496251_185f63f0da_k_556ad62da8.jpg 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_49589496251_185f63f0da_k_556ad62da8.jpg 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_49589496251_185f63f0da_k_556ad62da8.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>(PPA)</figcaption></figure>“There are numerous initiatives aimed at the territory, what was lacking was a great concertation, in the sense of orchestrating, harmonizing, creating a democratic space so that the dozens of initiatives in defense of the Amazon could meet, dialogue, increase the impact of their actions and generate new proposals and projects in favor of the forest and the populations that live in the region”, evaluates Renata Piazzon, punctuating the participation of more than 500 agents in this work, including representatives from academia, the private sector, business leaders, government, local communities, institutions philanthropies and civil society.Aiming to give more visibility to the solutions discussed and implemented by the network, this year the Concertação pela Amazônia is preparing a set of proposals for the sustainable development of the region that will materialize in an agenda of actions that can be adopted by the elected representatives in the new administrations and legislatures. .“The idea is to build an integrated development agenda for the region that considers the Amazon as a solution and looks at development beyond the environmental lens. With the document in hand after the results of the elections, Concertação&nbsp;will dialogue with the transition government for its implementation. These are feasible proposals, capable of being implemented in the first 100 days by the elected government”, says Piazzon.<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/NE_Ss_T_Guarana_11_e14985863b.jpg" alt="NESsT Guaraná-11.jpg" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_NE_Ss_T_Guarana_11_e14985863b.jpg 245w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_NE_Ss_T_Guarana_11_e14985863b.jpg 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_NE_Ss_T_Guarana_11_e14985863b.jpg 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_NE_Ss_T_Guarana_11_e14985863b.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;Actions like this are in line with the Theory of Change from Vale Fund 2030, a document that guides the institution's actions in order to contribute to the promotion of new economic alternatives and conservation of the biome. Some goals include: fostering value chains for socio-environmental products and services, mitigating and adapting to climate change, increasing the carbon neutrality strategy, protecting and combating illegal deforestation and supporting the bioeconomy.“In this document we declare that our priority territory for action is the Amazon, and we reinforce our mission to promote solutions with a positive socio-environmental impact that strengthen a sustainable, fair and inclusive economy”, concludes Patrícia Daros, clarifying that all the principles, impacts and expected results by Theory must be connected to the practice of the Fund and its partners.

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Strategy of multisectoral congregational arrangements in favor of biome conservation and socio-economic benefits.

Partnerships enhances sustainable development in the Amazon

Between 2011 and 2020, the volume of cocaine seized in the nine states that compose the Brazilian Legal Amazon reached more than 99 tons, according to data compiled by the Federal Police. The number considers seizures of hydrochloride, cocaine base paste and crack and is 73.8% higher than the total amount of drug withheld in the previous decade.Considering just the last five years – 2016 to 2020, the total volume was 56.5 tons, almost the same amount seized over the entire previous decade (56.9 tons). The data reveal a twofold growth: greater intensification of inspection by the authorities, and greater movement of drugs in the region.Listen to the podcast on this news:<div class="raw-html-embed"><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/liberal-amazon/embed/episodes/Liberal-Amazon-16---Battle-against-drug-trafficking-is-still-a-challenge-in-the-Amazon-e1l9k7a" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8ci37w"><div style="position: relative; padding-bottom: 100%; height: 0; "><iframe src="https://www.dailymotion.com/embed/video/x8ci37w" style="position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0; left: 0;" frameborder="0" width="480" height="270" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay"></iframe></div></div></figure>Report&nbsp;– Another data survey that indicates an increase of drug trafficking in the region is the 2022 global report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), that placed Brazil as one of the main cocaine exporters outside the American continent of the world, along with Bolivia and Peru. Alongside this protagonism is the growing presence of criminal factions and the use of ports in the North and Northeast of the country for drug distribution, supplying the international trafficking market. Brazil is also referred to as the main point of departure for cocaine seized in European countries, together with Colombia and Ecuador. The UN global report, released by the end of June, also highlights that between 2015 and 2021, 70% of the cocaine shipments seized in Africa came from Brazil and that almost half (46%) of the drugs confiscated in Asia are also originated from Brazilian ports.According to the UN report, in recent years, there has been an increase in the use of maritime routes by international traffic. And, involved in this dynamic, some smaller ports in the North and Northeast of Brazil assumed an increasing importance for cocaine shipments to Europe. The change in route took place, according to the document, due to improved inspection mechanisms and apprehensions made at the Port of Santos, in São Paulo, the main port for illegal drug exports in the country at the time.<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/operacao_foto_igor_mota_5_1c7d65df41.JPG" alt="operação foto igor mota (5).JPG" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_operacao_foto_igor_mota_5_1c7d65df41.JPG 234w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_operacao_foto_igor_mota_5_1c7d65df41.JPG 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_operacao_foto_igor_mota_5_1c7d65df41.JPG 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_operacao_foto_igor_mota_5_1c7d65df41.JPG 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Photo Igor Mota</figcaption></figure><h2>Factions increase presence and dispute over the trafficking route</h2>In June, the 2022 edition of the&nbsp;Anuário de Segurança Pública [Public Security Yearbook], prepared by the&nbsp;Fórum de Segurança Pública [Public Security Forum] was launched, bringing together data from various state and federal agencies. In the publication, one of the chapters deals specifically with the increase in violence in the Amazon region, precisely because of the greater presence of factions that vie for space in strategic points of the so-called “trafficking route”.For the researchers Samira Bueno and Renato Sérgio de Lima, director-executive and director-president of the&nbsp;Fórum Brasileiro de Segurança Pública [Brazilian Public Security Forum], respectively, the increase in violence observed in the region is due to various factors. “The deforestation, the illegal mining, corruption, criminality and the intense presence of militias and factions of organized crime, including over two dozen regional organizations and two large national organizations –&nbsp;PCC and Comando Vermelho – by disputing the main national and transnational drug trafficking routes, will transform the Brazilian Amazon into a scenery of wars that strongly impact the rates of lethal violence throughout the region and the country", highlight the researchers in a paper published in the 2022 edition of the Yearbook.According to the authors, the average of lethal violence in the Brazilian Amazon region is 38% higher compared to the other regions of the country. However, urban areas present still higher rates of homicides and violent deaths. “In urban municipalities, with more than 50,000 inhabitants and/or a predominance of densely populated areas, the lethal violence in the Amazon is 47.9% higher than the national average for this type of municipality. The alert is clear enough, that is, ‘if we want to have a safer, fairer and more sustainable country, we need to rescue the Amazon from the logic of violence and terror”, he alerts. The document&nbsp; also points out that out of the 30 Brazilian cities with the highest rate of intentional violent death, 13 are located in the&nbsp; Amazon region.<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/Op_Agata_Foto_Divulgacao_Marinha_7b0d1d7b9e.jpeg" alt="OpAgata_Foto Divulgação Marinha.jpeg" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_Op_Agata_Foto_Divulgacao_Marinha_7b0d1d7b9e.jpeg 208w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_Op_Agata_Foto_Divulgacao_Marinha_7b0d1d7b9e.jpeg 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_Op_Agata_Foto_Divulgacao_Marinha_7b0d1d7b9e.jpeg 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_Op_Agata_Foto_Divulgacao_Marinha_7b0d1d7b9e.jpeg 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Navy Photo Disclosure</figcaption></figure>Researcher Aiala Couto, professor at the Universidade do Estado do Pará [University of the State of Pará] – UEPA and a member of the&nbsp;Fórum Brasileiro de Segurança Pública&nbsp;[Brazilian Public Security Forum], also emphasizes, in the year book, the rampant growth of factions and drug trafficking in the Amazon. “On the other hand, we cannot fail to emphasize two important problems that, in our view, are associated to everything which has been mentioned so far involving drug trafficking and the growth of criminal factions. The first is the evidence that the Amazon props up as a strong geographical corridor for the transport of cocaine of Andean origin to Brazil, Europe and Africa; The second is a recent phenomenon which shows the interest of groups linked to organized crime in establishing connections with the cities of the region”, he points out.The high rates of lethal violence in the Amazon are also on the agenda in the Federal Senate. Last July 6th, according to Agência Senado [the official news channel of the Senate department], the president of the parliament, Rodrigo Pacheco, approved a request for conducting a CPI process [ Parliamentary Commission of Investigation] on drug trafficking, protocolled by Senator Eduardo Girão (Podemos party -Ceará State), which aims to investigate organized crime and drug trafficking, verifying the relationship of these activities with the increase in homicides of young people and adolescents in Brazil, between the years of 2016 and 2020.<h2>The Amazon is a “strategic region for the geopolitics of drug trafficking”, says the researcher</h2>Aiala Couto also highlights that the different factions of organized crime operating in Brazil have started to see the Amazon as a strategic region for the geopolitics of drug trafficking, considering it possesses cross-border relations that involves multiple agents, each one with its own specific function within the universe of crime “Factions of the Southeast region of Brazil, for example – the&nbsp; Comando Vermelho, originally from Rio de Janeiro, and the&nbsp;PPC, from São Paulo, have interest in acting in border areas, as well as in cities considered important for the fluidity of the drug. The interest of these factions is related to the search for control of the main drug trafficking routes in the Amazon”, he details.According to professor Aiala Couto, however, local factions have learnt and understood better, along the last few years ,the mechanisms of operation of illegal networks throughout the Amazon and, as a consequence, the states of Amazonas and Pará, considered to be the great "corridors" for the circulation of illicit goods (drugs, wood and smuggled mining) “have become the locus of emergence of regionalized criminal groups, such as&nbsp;Família do Norte (FDN-AM) and&nbsp;Comando Classe A (CCA-PA)”, analyses the professor in the document&nbsp;Anuário de Segurança Pública .According to Brigadier General Evandro Luiz Lopes Ferreira, the head of&nbsp;Centro de Coordenação de Operações [Operations Coordination Center] (CCOp), and a member of the&nbsp;Comando Militar do Norte [Northern Military Command] (CMN), the states of Pará, Amapá, Maranhão and Northern Tocantins – areas under the responsibility of the CMN in the Eastern Amazon – are not border states with those countries considered to be drug producers. This fact explains the main interest of criminal organizations linked to drug trafficking (in the region) being related to the transportation of illicit materials for possible export. “Our border is with the French Guiana, Suriname and Guiana, which are not big drug producers. For that reason, we assume Pará is a drug “passage” to other states or international destinations.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2> Cartographies&nbsp;</h2>The progress and activities of criminal factions in the Amazon are also detailed in the study "Cartographies of violence in the Amazon region: final report", published in February this year. The document was written by members of the Research Group&nbsp;Territórios Emergentes e Redes de Resistências na Amazônia (Terra), [Emerging Territories and Resistance Networks in the Amazon], from UEPA&nbsp; [University of Pará State].The research reinforces that the "Amazon is surrounded by factions and, being an area of drug trade, it is a stage for strategies with Brazilian factions so that the illicit substances can enter the country's borders and reach the main markets. Thus, Brazilian factions depend on such relationships to receive the drug loads and fully operate the sale of cocaine, ecstasy and skank in the domestic market and in transactions involving the global market", highlights the report.<h2> Bruno and Dom's murder warns about violence in the region</h2>The state of Amazonas is the main gateway for cocaine from Peru and skank, from Colombia, “because it has the most influential drug trafficking routes: the Solimões River and the Javari River”, says the professor.Aiala also details that “the Solimões route became the scene of disputes and conflicts involving pirates from the Coarí region, members of the FDN and of the PCC factions. The latter commanded the region since they arrived crossing the states of Mato Grosso and Acre, making several alliances along the way. 'Os Crias', a faction created from the dissidence of members of the FDN, operates on the triple border controlling the most important route used by Peruvian drug traffickers”, he points out.The Yearbook highlights that, according to Aiala, “the Vale do Javari territory faces a series of public security problems that affect indigenous and riverine communities in the region. They suffer attacks from miners and smuggler loggers”.Bruno Pereira and the British journalist Dom Phillips were murdered in Atalaia do Norte, in the indigenous territory of Vale do Javari. A month after the double homicide, on June 5th, the case continues to be investigated by the Federal Police. Until last Wednesday (6), three people had been arrested for their alleged involvement in the crime and another five are still being investigated. The authorities are investigating the possible existence of masterminds and the motivations for the crime. One of the lines of investigation points out that both were killed for reporting criminal practices in the region, among them, illegal fishing of pirarucu, a typical species of fish in the Amazon region, on indigenous land.For the researcher Aiala Couto, groups that commit illegal practices are interrelated in the region. “The complexity that is established in the Amazon involves a network of criminals who are related to both drug trafficking and environmental crimes. This dynamic weakens public security policies, negatively affecting forest peoples who are exposed to a context of violence. Confronting it, therefore, must go through the fight against organized crime and must consider the local specificities of the region, which is the target area disputed”, he adds.<h2>The Port of Vila do Conde: drugs mixed in beer, ore and even in açai</h2>The Port of Vila do Conde, located in the municipality of Barcarena, about 60 kilometers from the capital Belém, in the state of Pará, is one of the main ports in the Amazon region. Daily, legal cargoes are exported through its facilities, such as ore, wood and other products derived from Amazon fruit crops, such as açaí.<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/porto_vila_conde_foto_igor_mota_5401309996.jpg" alt="porto vila conde foto igor mota.jpg" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_porto_vila_conde_foto_igor_mota_5401309996.jpg 234w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_porto_vila_conde_foto_igor_mota_5401309996.jpg 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_porto_vila_conde_foto_igor_mota_5401309996.jpg 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_porto_vila_conde_foto_igor_mota_5401309996.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Photo Igor Mota</figcaption></figure>The frenetic movement of ships going to Europe and the low level of inspection, according to a police source who works in the investigation of crimes related to drug trafficking, make the place, managed by Companhia Docas do Pará (CDP), an area frequently used by organized crime. “It is a strategic port where drugs arrive and are sent to European countries. We often receive a cargo report, but we need a court order to access and to open a container. Then, we miss the right time, the information leaks and the operation ends up in frustration. Even so, it is a port where drug apprehension is frequent, but a lot of things still pass through it. If there is efficient inspection, there is something to be seized every day”, reveals the source, who asked not to be identified.“Many cargoes are modified in the containers, within the CDP area. The seals attached outside the boarding area are adulterated. It is in the boarding area that, in most cases, they insert the drug that will be sent,” the informer says.In a note published, CDP informs that&nbsp;operates with a Federal Port Security crew at the Port of Vila do Conde, “in addition to a complete system of electronic security – CFTV, as established by the Security Plan approved by the&nbsp;Comissão Nacional de Segurança Pública [National Public Security Commission] in Ports, Terminals and Waterways – Conportos”. The Company explained that all operations with containers, including their inspection, take place at the customs terminal, by a port operating company, under a leasing contract, responsible for this type of operation. The note also informed that “there are not any internal administrative proceedings in progress against CDP employees regarding illicit drug trafficking - narco trafficking”.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Trafficking nets and illegal groups increase  the use of the region as a distribution route. Global report ranks Brazil as a major drug trader in the world.

International drug trafficking escalates presence in the Amazon

Brazil uses only about 30% of its total waterway potential of approximately 64 thousand km, for economic purposes. It means to say, just over 19,000 km are used – 81% of which (15,500 km) corresponds the Amazon rivers hydric routes. The survey was carried out by National Transport Confederation (CNT), based on data from National Waterway Transport Agency (Antaq).For this potential to be better exploited, CNT and Antaq point out that it is necessary to invest in signaling, expansion of ports and improvement of infrastructure of waterway terminals, among other measures, as mentioned by Antaq's general director, Eduardo Nery. “Even with all the waterways economic appeal in the region, we still have a long way to go. We, at Antaq, are currently developing studies to assemble a solid, consistent plan to direct investments towards improvements in waterway infrastructure throughout Brazil, including the Amazon region”, he explains.Listen to the comment on this news:<div class="raw-html-embed"><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/liberal-amazon/embed/episodes/Liberal-Amazon-22---Brazil-uses-only-30-of-the-waterway-economic-potential-e1n0pea" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><figure class="image image_resized image-style-side" style="width:25%;"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/Eduardo_Nery_diretor_geral_da_Antaq_foto_Marcos_Oliveira_Agencia_Senado_e01b960bab.jfif" alt="Eduardo Nery, diretor-geral da Antaq foto Marcos Oliveira Agência Senado.jfif" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_Eduardo_Nery_diretor_geral_da_Antaq_foto_Marcos_Oliveira_Agencia_Senado_e01b960bab.jfif 235w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_Eduardo_Nery_diretor_geral_da_Antaq_foto_Marcos_Oliveira_Agencia_Senado_e01b960bab.jfif 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_Eduardo_Nery_diretor_geral_da_Antaq_foto_Marcos_Oliveira_Agencia_Senado_e01b960bab.jfif 750w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Eduardo Nery, general director of Antaq - Photo: Marcos Oliveira</figcaption></figure>According to the general director, among the demands already identified, the Madeira River waterway - located between the states of Rondônia and Amazonas – is highlighted. It needs beaconing and demolition interventions, besides other services, in order to safely expand its capacity and achieve year-round operation, without interruption. According to Nery, this is one of the outstanding interventions for the Amazon region, considering that the Madeira Waterway is one of the most important transport routes in the so-called Arco Norte, or Northern Logistics Corridor.&nbsp;“Despite the need for improvements and the geographical difficulties, the Amazon region was responsible for more than 51% of all the soybeans and corn flow – two important export products in the first half of 2022” – says Nery. This percentage was a historic milestone, as, for the first time, the ports of the North region and the port of Itaqui, from the so-called Amazonian Arc, had a higher movement compared to the rest of the country. According to the Antaq report, 41.5 million tons of soybeans and corn were transported through Amazonian Arch, while the other ports in the country registered 40 million tons of commodities.“In addition to soybeans and corn, iron ore is also a very important product, especially in the states of Pará and Amapá. In Amazonas, however, there is a meaningful movement of containers to supply the industrial district of Manaus”, adds Nery.<h1>Integration of modes may facilitate the flow of production</h1>&nbsp;In addition to investing in navigation improvements, the general director of Antaq emphasizes that one of the main challenges to reach the full potential of Amazonian waterways is to overcome the geographical difficulties of navigation. Underlying such difficulties is the territorial dimension of the Legal Amazon corresponding to almost 59% of the Brazilian territory, that is, more than 5 million square kilometers, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).Until today, the road system, covered in the first report of this series by Liberal Amazon, is the most used mode. Still, the highways in the Amazon are the worst in the country. “Today, substantial part of the products gets to the ports by highways. Even so, the Amazon region has progressively developed each year and the trend is to keep growing. If the railroad projects were implemented in the region, we would have more interesting logistics alternatives which would consequently lead to the implementation of the flow of grains through the Amazon river basin”, explains Eduardo Nery.<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/portos_foto_tarso_sarraf_1_9554710b03.JPG" alt="portos foto tarso sarraf (1).JPG" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_portos_foto_tarso_sarraf_1_9554710b03.JPG 234w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_portos_foto_tarso_sarraf_1_9554710b03.JPG 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_portos_foto_tarso_sarraf_1_9554710b03.JPG 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_portos_foto_tarso_sarraf_1_9554710b03.JPG 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Photo: Tarso Sarraf</figcaption></figure><h1>Railways are still poorly explored in the region</h1>Despite the history of railroads in the Amazon beginning at the end of the 19th century, the potential of this mode is also underused. According to Fábio Carlos da Silva – professor at the Federal University of Pará (UFPA) and doctor in Economic History – likewise in the rubber cycle, when railroads appeared within that time context, as the most economical and fastest way to transport the product, currently, the railway mode turns again to be a crucial subject of debates among different sectors, as highways exceed their capacities and face a series of challenges to be overcome in order to meet the demands for movement of cargo and passengers in the Amazon.“We realize that the cycle is recurrent. Although the main objective in the construction of railways is the transport of cargo, the expectation is that, eventually, the railways will also become a transport option for passengers, as it was in the rubber era”, he evaluates.Elaine Radel, the Executive Manager of Transport Development at CNT, affirms this is one of the factors that justifies the urgency for investing and expanding both the rivers and trains routes. “In terms of railways, basically what we have in the region is the Ferrovia Norte-Sul [North-South Railroad], which aims at connecting the five regions of the country and serving as an outflow alternative for agricultural production”, he quotes.The construction of Ferrovia Norte-Sul began in 1987, and the project underwent several changes over the following decades until it reached the current proposal, which is to go from the state of Pará, in the North, to Rio Grande do Sul. However, so far it has not been fully completed, with sections still under construction and others still being planned.“Having new railroads in the Amazon would be essential to boost the economy, being an alternative to transport agricultural production to closer ports, since at the moment, this flow is mostly moved through the ports of the South and Southeast”, summarizes Radel.<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/stf_Rosinei_Coutinho_SCO_STF_ffd4582b86.jpg" alt="stf - Rosinei Coutinho - SCO - STF.jpg" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_stf_Rosinei_Coutinho_SCO_STF_ffd4582b86.jpg 245w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_stf_Rosinei_Coutinho_SCO_STF_ffd4582b86.jpg 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_stf_Rosinei_Coutinho_SCO_STF_ffd4582b86.jpg 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_stf_Rosinei_Coutinho_SCO_STF_ffd4582b86.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Ferrogrão project still has no expected return to the STF agenda - Photo: Rosinei Coutinho</figcaption></figure><h1>New projects x sustainable development</h1>A project that is currently undergoing legal procedures at the Federal Supreme Court (STF) is that of EF-170 railway, known as “Ferrogrão”, which aims to meet the specific demand of agribusiness, “connecting a very dense agricultural production area in the Central-West region to the ports of Arco Norte, thus, allowing a faster and more economical flow”, explains Elaine Radel, manager of CNT.This is one of the largest railway infrastructure projects in the country. It has been discussed for more than five years with the goal of interconnecting the municipalities from Sinop (MT) to Miritituba, a district within the municipality of Itaituba (PA), where there is a port for flowing exports of agricultural products.According to the Superintendent of the Industry Federation of Rondônia State (FIERO), Gilberto Baptista, there are few railroads in the Amazon and this scenario limits the possibilities for industry and agribusiness, besides increasing production costs. “The Amazon is one of the largest grain producers in the world, but it is not internationally competitive regarding logistics. Even employing the most modern technology available and being competent in production, when it comes to logistics, the cost raises and the competitiveness decreases”, he explains.However, the impacts of the Ferrogrão project on the environment and traditional populations of the Amazon are a constant theme undergoing criticisms from various social segments. Vinícius Machado, anthropologist, lawyer and doctorate student at the Graduate Program in Laws at UFPA, published a research report and a documentary in 2021, about the impacts of large development projects on the Tapajós River, in the stretch located in the western region of Pará.Based on the perspective of indigenous peoples, one of the projects focused on the research is that of Ferrogrão. “For this study, I interviewed 25 people of different indigenous ethnicities and their opinion was unanimous: these people are afraid that large projects like this will completely change the social dynamics of the place. The reason for such worry is that besides the change caused by the construction, there is also a population growth pressure resulting from the operation of the railroad", explains the researcher. After Ferrogrão construction, according to the study, a modification of the boundaries between the urban area and the indigenous territories is expected, not just geographically, but also culturally – an “imported one” to the region. "One of the interviewees said that it is as if the railroad passed through the middle of their living room", exemplifies the anthropologist.The Ferrogrão project was suspended in March 2021 after Minister Alexandre de Moraes, from Federal Supreme Court (STF), accepted a request for a preliminary injunction filed by Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL) suspending the effects of Law 13,452/2017, stemming from Provisional Measure 758/2016, which modifies the limits of Jamanxim National Park, in the state of Pará. Moraes considered that the route of the new railway would cross the park and that the modification of the area limits could not be decided by a provisional measure.Ministry of Infrastructure (Minfra) published, in a note, that “the project (Ferrogrão) is waiting for approval from the Federal Supreme Court (STF) to be moved forward” and that “the railway is expected to move 48.6 million tons in 30 years”.<h1>Five million people used waterway transport in Pará in 2021</h1><figure class="image image_resized image-style-side" style="width:25%;"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/FAMILIA_RODRIG_Ues_FOTOS_IGOR_MOTA_1_bd9d86aee5.JPG" alt="FAMILIA RODRIGUes-FOTOS IGOR MOTA (1).JPG" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_FAMILIA_RODRIG_Ues_FOTOS_IGOR_MOTA_1_bd9d86aee5.JPG 234w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_FAMILIA_RODRIG_Ues_FOTOS_IGOR_MOTA_1_bd9d86aee5.JPG 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_FAMILIA_RODRIG_Ues_FOTOS_IGOR_MOTA_1_bd9d86aee5.JPG 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_FAMILIA_RODRIG_Ues_FOTOS_IGOR_MOTA_1_bd9d86aee5.JPG 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Regiane and Juliano live in Marajó island and frequently need to use waterway terminals &nbsp;- Photo: Igor Mota</figcaption></figure>In parallel with the discussions concerning the use of the waterway system for cargo in the Amazon, passenger transport stands out as another important issue, presenting several urgent needs. “Rivers are like streets for the population. Thus, in passenger transport, we need to offer a more adequate service, which provides more safety and more comfort”, states Eduardo Nery, from Antaq.According to him, the infrastructure of the waterway terminals is the main focus of attention: “In the state of Pará, good quality waterway terminals are being constructed, but this is not a reality for the entire region. In some cities, apart from the capitals, we still find very precarious conditions for boarding passengers. We have been working on solutions to encourage municipal and state governments to improve this scenario,” he emphasizes.In Pará alone, five million people have used intercity water transport, according to data from State Public Services Regulation and Control Agency (Arcon). This is the second largest state in Brazil, with 1,245,870.700 km². More than 300 vessels are registered to Arcon, allowing access to 50 municipalities geographically located on islands, in Pará. One of these cities is Salvaterra, in the Marajó archipelago, where the fishing couple Regiane de Vasconcelos, 46, and Juliano Rodrigues, 53, live. Throughout their lives, there were countless occasions when they needed to use navigation alternatives to reach the state capital, Belém. “Nowadays, it's kind of easier, because we travel by speedboat, with seat reservations and air conditioning. But, not long ago, the only option was the ship. We 'tied' a hammock and sometimes spent more than 10 hours traveling to reach Belém, that could be very uncomfortable", they racall.&nbsp;Education and Health - Waterway transport is part of the population routine and it is often the only alternative to commute from home to school, in the most difficult access communities in the region. Concerning health services, the rivers are used to transport medicines, personal protective equipment (PPE) and passengers, both in the capital-interior direction, and within the territories of the municipalities, to assist the riverine populations, including adapted boats for the format of ambulances (“ambulanchas”) and the River Basic Health Units (UBS), among other mechanisms. “Rivers are essential to assist dispersed populations. They are often the alternative we have to take medicines and vaccines, despite the challenges of moving quickly and safely”, says Charles Tocantins, president of the Council of Municipal Health Departments of Pará (Cosems/PA).<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/portos_foto_tarso_sarraf_2_13e7198edb.JPG" alt="portos foto tarso sarraf (2).JPG" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_portos_foto_tarso_sarraf_2_13e7198edb.JPG 234w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_portos_foto_tarso_sarraf_2_13e7198edb.JPG 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_portos_foto_tarso_sarraf_2_13e7198edb.JPG 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_portos_foto_tarso_sarraf_2_13e7198edb.JPG 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Photo: Tarso Sarraf</figcaption></figure><h1>Planning and transparency are keys to sustainability</h1>&nbsp;Either for cargo or passengers, in order to be successful, it is important that transport modes are integrated to a sustainable development plan. According to the Anthropologist Vinicius Machado, listening to traditional peoples is essential. “The first step for a large project to be able to promote development without socio-environmental problems is to previously&nbsp; listen to all the peoples that are bound to be affected by it, such as quilombolas, indigenous people and people who live next to the highways. This is a right guaranteed by Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization,” he points out.José Alberto Tostes, Professor and Doctor at the Federal University of Amapá, an expert in Environmental Comfort Standards and Techniques, corroborates the statement. “The transport potential in the Amazon is very large and there are several paths that can be explored. But, in order to be sustainable, adequate planning and management are necessary, with greater transparency in the accountability to society in all spheres”, he emphasizes.Concerning the waterways, the professor states that it is necessary to invest in greater infrastructure of the ports, more technological investment and more effective inspection and monitoring processes. “It's not just building, or just doing improvements. All affected communities need to be involved in the process, understanding it well and contributing to the impact evaluation. It must be a collaborative construction”, he reinforces.The other modes of transport are also covered in the series of articles by Liberal Amazon. In the first edition, the theme was road transport. You can check it out at www.liberalamazon.com.

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Many logistical and transport challenges for the little more than 19 thousand kilometers being used to transport production through the rivers. Amazonian Arc ports stand out in production flow of soy and corn.


Brazil uses only 30% of the waterway economic potential

Teams of journalists in Brazil are rolling out new tools and resources to help voters spot disinformation and make more informed choices as the 2022 election cycle kicks off this month. The innovative projects - developed as part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.youtube/intl/pt-br/news-and-events/youtube-brasil-e-international-center-for-journalists-icfj-anunciam-programa-de-apoio-ao-jornalismo-no-combate-a-desinformacao/">Jogo Limpo</a> (“Fair Game”) initiative - include everything from a video fact-checking bot and an influencer campaign to gamification techniques for reaching youth.The journalists spent three months working closely with expert mentors and received up to USD$25,000 to develop each of the six projects. The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) runs&nbsp;<a href="https://www.icfj.org/our-work/jogo-limpo-um-programa-para-combater-desinformacao-eleitoral-no-brasil-em-2022">Jogo Limpo</a>, which is supported by YouTube Brazil.“The Jogo Limpo teams have developed innovative ways to help voters in Brazil discern fact from fiction, which is absolutely crucial given the threat that disinformation poses to free and fair elections,” said Johanna Carrillo, ICFJ’s vice president for programs. “There is no one, single solution, but these efforts combined will make a difference in Brazil and beyond, as other journalists in the ICFJ network learn from the approaches.”ICFJ held a panel Aug. 11 with representatives from each Jogo Limpo team to discuss the upcoming elections and share details about the projects. Brazil’s campaign cycle for president, governors, senators, and federal and state deputies officially begins Aug. 16. The election is set for Oct. 2.“YouTube's support for the Jogo Limpo program is an example of our commitment to promote and encourage the production of reliable content and to offer it on the platform. The selected projects will connect citizens to information that is verified and fact-checked in accordance with journalism´s best practices," said Malu Gonçalves, head of communications at YouTube Brasil.Each Jogo Limpo initiative addresses disinformation from a different perspective. Two of them are tech based, two are focused on media literacy, and two are mobilizing partners and producing content to combat online falsehoods.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/20220811_ATUJOGOLIMPO_ft_joao_ramos7_73857dd791.jpg" alt="20220811ATUJOGOLIMPO ft - joão ramos7).jpg" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_20220811_ATUJOGOLIMPO_ft_joao_ramos7_73857dd791.jpg 245w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_20220811_ATUJOGOLIMPO_ft_joao_ramos7_73857dd791.jpg 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_20220811_ATUJOGOLIMPO_ft_joao_ramos7_73857dd791.jpg 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_20220811_ATUJOGOLIMPO_ft_joao_ramos7_73857dd791.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Amazon Check team, from O Liberal. Photo: João Ramos</figcaption></figure><h1>Automating Fact-Checking</h1>Núcleo Jornalismo, based in São Paulo, has launched&nbsp; <a href="http://www.nucleo.jor.br/botponto/">BotPonto</a>, a bot that is capable of reading video transcriptions and letting fact-checking and journalists easily find content that might be wrong or misleading. BotPonto points out the exact minute a potential falsehood is stated on a YouTube video and will reduce the time spent by media to assess online recordings.&nbsp;Aos Fatos, from Rio de Janeiro, will add 1,000 journalists to&nbsp;<a href="http://escriba.aosfatos.org/">Escriba</a>, the voice-to-text tool the organization developed to be used during political debates. Escriba shortens the fact-checking process and is connected to a database that allows its users to search for content in different events.<h1>Reaching Young Voters</h1>Vero Institute, based in Rio de Janeiro, released "<a href="https://vero.org.br/fakedoi">Fake dói</a>," a media literacy program focused on teen voters. The initiative aims to teach young Brazilians to use Open Source Intelligence Tools (OSINT) to easily detect false content that goes viral. Vero will use gamification techniques as a way to engage this growing audience (Brazilians are eligible to vote at age 16, but voting is only compulsory for those 18 to 70).<a href="https://reload.news/">Reload Explica</a> initiative led by Agência Pública is&nbsp; targeting the same demographic. Worried about the lack of political interest from Brazilian teenagers, the NGO today released a digital guide - made of videos, infographics, and cartoons - focused on teaching youth how democracy works. Betting on well made explanatory content, Pública wants to grab attention and make sure teens understand what is at stake in an election.<h1>Mobilizing Influencers and Partners</h1><a href="https://www.redescordiais.com.br/">Redes Cordiais</a>, based in Brasilia, brought together a group of 30 digital influencers and provided training at the Superior Electoral Court on how ballots are counted, voting technology and more. Today, the initiative will release data regarding the reach an d engagement those influencers have registered so far when talking about voting machines and the vote counting process. Redes Cordiais aims to keep the group of influencers - who can reach up to 10 million Brazilians - mobilized during the campaign.Finally, O Liberal, in Belém, officially announced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oliberal.com/eleicoes/amazonia-check">Amazônia Check</a>. The initiative fights misinformation and ignorance about the Amazon region. The project will monitor and check the statements of presidential candidates about the Amazon, including comments on the environment, population, human development index and more. As part of the project, O Liberal scheduled a series of interviews with candidates so that Brazilians can hear about their proposals and see their knowledge of the Amazon. The interviews will be in a "pool" with press from all the nine states that make up the Legal Amazon, and will start on September 5, Amazon Day. The content generated by the Amazônia Check project will also be shared out by a strong network of local media. &nbsp;

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New tools and strategies to distribute factual content and reach audiences: see the products developed through "Jogo Limpo"


Journalists launch innovative projects to counter electoral disinformation in Brazil

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A model that combines soil health care, biodiversity promotion and food quality was one of the frequent issues at COP 27 and has been a reality in the region for decades. Though, it needs more investments to reach a larger number of small and medium producers in the region.


Regenerative agriculture can evolve in the Amazon

The Amazon is the largest tropical forest in the world and plays an important role in regulating the global climate. However, deforestation contributes to the alteration of rainfall cycles, causing the intensification of the dry season, which increases the extent of native vegetation affected by forest fires. The continuous growth of fires in Boca do Acre (AM) went from 66%, in 2012, the year of approval of the new Forest Code, to 88% in 2019. The information is from research held by scientists from the National Center for Monitoring and Alerts of Natural Disasters (CEMADEN), in partnership with other national and international institutions, and published on Tuesday (20) in the journal "Fire".The research analyzed satellite data of burned areas between the years 2003 and 2019, in a new deforestation frontier, in the Southwest of Amazonas. After cross-referencing the data, the scientists considered information about climate, land cover, rural properties and protected areas. "The goal of the study was to provide a comprehensive assessment of the spatial extent and patterns of burned areas, analyzing what, where, and how much has changed, to be able to understand the fire process in the study region," explains researcher Liana Anderson, one of the study's authors. In the period studied, the annual area affected by fire varied from 33 km² and peaked at 681 km² in 2019.<blockquote>The deforestation trend in the region also increased from 15% in 2012 to 91.60% in 2019</blockquote>The study also sought to understand the process of wildfires and the main factors that influence them. "We observed the importance of protection areas, such as conservation units and indigenous lands, because these serve as barriers for the fire not to enter the most preserved regions of the Amazon," points out research assistant Débora Dutra, who led the study. On the other hand, the areas of pasture and agriculture near highways, such as BR-317, and the routes used to transport wood from deforestation cause changes in these barriers, leaving the forest more vulnerable to forest fires.&nbsp;"Deforestation has a relationship with fire, because the opening of new areas increasingly exposes the forest," points out Liana Anderson. According to the study, the deforestation trend in the region increased from 15% in 2012 to 91.60% in 2019. It was also observed the advance in deforestation and fire in areas of public forests not yet designated, indicating the urgent need for public policies to ensure the conservation of these areas.According to the researchers, the prospect for the coming years is a significant increase in fire outbreaks in the region due to the increase in deforestation and the process of land grabbing, observed in the study from the registration of rural properties in areas of public forests in which deforestation processes and forest fires have occurred. &nbsp;"If we don't have public policies and control actions against illegal activities, such as unauthorized logging and deforestation, we can expect this area to become critical both for the increase in conflicts and the loss of ecosystem services," emphasizes Anderson.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://abori.com.br/amazonia/incendios-florestais-aumentaram-no-sudoeste-da-amazonia-apos-novo-codigo-florestal/">Source: Agência Bori</a>

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The information is from research held by scientists from the National Center for Monitoring and Alerts of Natural Disasters, in partnership with other national and international institutions

Forest fires have increased in the southwestern Amazon after the new Forest Code

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People from different regions of the country choose to pursue a career in the Amazon, studying and helping to preserve the biome. Local experts highlight the importance of collaboration, always respecting the region and its inhabitants


Biodiversity that enchants and retains professionals

The urban Amazon is very different from the imaginary that has been built about the region. Its complexity lies precisely in the proximity of these large human conglomerates and the relationships they have established with the most extensive tropical forest on the planet, its rivers and its biodiversity. Solutions to historical problems stemming from the population pressures, which also impact cities, such as precarious basic sanitation, flooding events, and challenges to the health sector, still need to be looked at all together, experts point out. One of the fields of knowledge that crosses this discussion is Architecture. After all, the Amazon region is not a "green void". In search of solutions for hydrosanitary projects in riverside communities, or for construction formulas that consider air circulation, as well as the permeability of rainwater and rivers, researchers in this area and urban planners argue that traditional communities have a lot to teach about how to establish good relationships of large populations with nature. As such, the main lessons are: combining local and academic knowledge to understand that solutions designed for other areas of the planet, almost always, do not work for our region.&nbsp;Amongst the ten Brazilian cities with the worst sanitation rates, eight are located in the Amazon – and half are in the State of Pará (Marabá, Santarém, Ananindeua and the capital, Belém), according to “Ranking do Saneamento 2023 do Instituto Trata Brasil” [2023 Sanitation Ranking by Instituto Trata Brasil]. The study lists the country's municipalities based on access to drinking water, garbage collection status and sewage treatment care. This balance highlights that the precariousness of public policies in this area is historical – and points out that the region's particularities are not taken into account regarding the implementation of actions aiming at reducing inequalities when it comes to access to basic services.Another study, conducted by Serviço Geológico do Brasil (SGB) [Brazilian Geological Survey], identified areas with high or very high risk of flooding in Belém, including the districts and surrounding islands. In total, 32 high-risk areas and 93 very high-risk areas were spotted. There are 125 points, 76 of which are at risk of flooding and inundation, in addition to 49 at risk of coastal erosion. According to the SGB, some of these points are on the banks of the Tucunduba and Estrada Nova river basins, which have received drainage works in the capital.Another issue is afforestation. Although Manaus and Belém are the main metropolises in the Amazon, they appear at the top positions among the least forested capitals in Brazil, according to data from the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE) [Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics]. Precarious access to sanitation and water, reduction of green areas, and the population's risk of losing their homes to the force of water torrents are factors that can help us to understand the extent to which the climate can affect communities living in Amazon urban areas .&nbsp;URBANITY: A CHALLENGEProfessor at the Federal University of Pará (UFPA) and researcher in the area of urbanization and right to socio-biodiversity, Ana Cláudia Cardoso explains that the elaboration of the concept of urban planning took hold in society in a historical context of industrialization. Although the way of living in cities seems incompatible with the preservation of nature or ecosystems, the researcher guarantees that the situation is not quite like that. “It is possible to observe that, ‘yes’, there may be a relationship between the forest and cities, based on the employment of ecological solutions in the infrastructure of urban centers that seek a lower environmental impact, such as bioconstruction, for example”.<figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8qlq9y"><div style="position: relative; padding-bottom: 100%; height: 0; "><iframe src="https://www.dailymotion.com/embed/video/x8qlq9y" style="position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0; left: 0;" frameborder="0" width="480" height="270" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay"></iframe></div></div></figure>Ana Cláudia Cardoso argues that “in order for the city to adapt to new climatic conditions, such as more intense rain, increased water volume, with greater incidences of extreme events than in the past, the soil must be increasingly permeable". Permeability, from an architectural point of view, is the soil's ability to drain water.For the researcher, this problem is strictly related to understanding water movements in a city, and especially in the Amazon, where people live surrounded by rivers and in a very humid climate. “It is necessary to reduce the speed at which this water crosses the city, as water always goes from a high point to the lowest point, and to slow down this process it is necessary to create conditions to retain this water. After that, also offer water the possibility to be absorbed – this is how we can combat flooding, for example – by increasing the presence of vegetation in the urban area”. Living and working in Combu: the part of Belém integrated into the forestFifteen minutes by boat, departing from Praça Princesa Isabel in Belém, tourists&nbsp; from any place in the world can reach Combu Island – the fourth largest one of the 39 that exist in the insular portion of the capital of Pará. In this region, the attraction is the dozens of restaurants on stilts offering river bathing and regional cuisine. In addition, they also offer the experience of being above the rivers and getting closer to riverside life, as many of these establishments offer activities, such as trails through the forest.In the trail of the occupation of a portion of the forest, problems come along in Combu, such as garbage, sanitary issues, shortages of drinking water and access to energy, for example. Dona Nena has lived and faced this reality for 40 years on the island. She has turned her backyard, in the middle of the forest, into her own chocolate industry. It is the place where she harvests and processes cocoa to commercialize. She reveals that the extractivism and processing, in accord with the bioeconomy principles, is faced with the various challenges of producing in the forest - one of them is the availability of drinking water. “We have to buy mineral water, and when we put it on the tip of a pencil, the container costs R$30 due to transport by boat”, she explains.LOCAL SOLUTIONSThe place where Nena and her family produce desserts, jams, chocolate powder and a variety of other products coming from the forest is equipped with efficient hydro-sanitary system: there are boxes for collecting and treating rainwater, as well as a complete structure for the production processes of cocoa. However, in their routine, the electricity goes out constantly.<figure class="image"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/Whats_App_Image_2023_12_15_at_20_11_48_bce9de56c8.jpeg" alt="WhatsApp Image 2023-12-15 at 20.11.48.jpeg" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_Whats_App_Image_2023_12_15_at_20_11_48_bce9de56c8.jpeg 235w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_Whats_App_Image_2023_12_15_at_20_11_48_bce9de56c8.jpeg 500w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_Whats_App_Image_2023_12_15_at_20_11_48_bce9de56c8.jpeg 750w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_Whats_App_Image_2023_12_15_at_20_11_48_bce9de56c8.jpeg 1000w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Dona Nena and the water supply system in Combu. CREDITS: Igor Mota</figcaption></figure>Despite the problems, quite common in Amazonian cities, leaving the place is not an option for Nena, since, besides a place to work, the island is also her safe home. She names it "the fantastic chocolate machine". Her backyard has a gigantic samaúma tree [kapok tree] - a type of tree considered sacred in the Amazon. This relationship with the place has led Dona Nena to bring her emotional memories to the packaging of her sweets.EVERYDAY SUSTAINABILITY“There is a chocolate candy that is wrapped in a leaf and tied with a string. When I exposed it to be sold, I was told that I was crazy, because ‘who would buy a chocolate candy tied inside a leaf?’. In fact, whoever saw it, had their affective memory activated, as people who moved to the city, made the rural exodus, related to it. They remembered someone who used to make this type of packaging in the countryside. That's how I started to form a network of consumers for my chocolate.”Dona Nena's work is supported by researchers from the Federal Rural University of the Amazon (UFRA).&nbsp; Almost 30 people are directly and indirectly employed by it - the majority of them are women. The group is waiting for the process of geographical indication of cocoa produced in the region to be concluded. Meanwhile, Dona Nena's house also became a space for raising stingless bees (which should soon be used for honey production, according to her). Regarding the contact and knowledge exchange relationship with the researchers, Nena says that it has been very beneficial.“Here we have the human resources and the material that comes from the forest, and the university has the technology. So, the idea was to make people from here, locally, learn and then be able to replicate the knowledge”, says Dona Nena. “This is what happened with our water supply system, which uses treated rainwater both in the factory and for human consumption. Then the two knowledges came together: that of experience and that of science”.The inside look: more and more essential to Amazon citiesResearcher and professor of architecture at UFPA, Ana Klaudia Perdigão inquires the perspective of outsiders regarding quality of life of riverine communities in the Amazon. “It is important to bring to light what this place means and the existing environmental conditions in order to learn more about life in this area. What means “life quality” in these spaces? And how can we think about life quality in urban areas based on this? It’s all about exchanging.”“This is why it is essential to relate local knowledge to formal knowledge, that is, science, because these communities have a lot to teach about life quality in the Amazon. For example, the use of stilt houses is still seen as precarious, but behind this, there is an identity of a people. We need to look at this without prejudice towards this way of living.”<div class="raw-html-embed"><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/liberal-amazon/embed/episodes/Liberal-Amazon-Urban-Amazon-crucial-path-to-sustainability-e2d9044/a-aao8aga" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>TRADITION AND RESISTANCEIn the article entitled “Tipo e tipologia na palafita amazônica da cidade de Afuá” [Type and typology in the Amazon stilt house in the city of Afuá], in which the researcher talks about another Amazonian city, entirely built on stilts over a river, Perdigão approaches the wooden structure as a form of “resistance of riverine cultural tradition”. In her paper, she discusses the “peculiar way of production and appropriation of space with the manifestation of local values (..) in proximity to the river and the forest”.“The city of Afuá is a living example of the appreciation of Amazonian riverside culture. An invaluable source for investigating new connections between formal and popular knowledge. In the Amazonian experience of living, there is an intuitive knowledge and a feeling of belonging that is so unique that it deserves to be included in architectural knowledge”, states Ana Klaudia Perdigão.Afuá is located in the Marajó archipelago. Surrounded by rivers, the city has a population of 37.7 thousand people, according to IBGE. The tradition of living in stilt houses means that the main means of transport in the city is bicycles – pedals are adapted even to police vehicles, ambulances, taxis, etc. The municipality is called the “Marajoara Venice” due to the strong connection with the water that runs through the city.CIRCULARITY AND INTEGRATIONWhen looking at these riverside areas, Perdigão, who coordinates the Space and Human Development Laboratory at UFPA, says that she aimed to “understand what it means to produce a space that brings quality of life to people, how to think about sanitation, electricity, sustainability, in constructions aimed at this way of living in the Amazon”.“When we talk about a space and human development laboratory, what we want to find are these connections, these translations and alignments, what this way of living in the Amazon means, going beyond hegemonic theories that can serve all corners of the planet. We will observe them, but we will also translate this into the way of living here in the region”, highlights the UFPA professor.The researcher argues that human constructions in urban centers cannot ignore the climate – hot and humid. According to her, it is necessary to have ventilation and permeability, everything should be provided so that air and water can circulate. This is how it is in forest communities and how cities can find a way to rethink themselves.

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Combining science and traditional knowledge, study fronts in Architecture, Urbanism and other areas step forward in the search for building solutions and basic planning against historical problems in the region

Urban Amazon: crucial path to sustainability

Pathfinders designed the Brazilian Amazon

Family production model becomes an alternative for sustainable development in the Amazon region