JBS is proud to announce that the Fund for the Amazon will begin to support six key initiatives which, together, will receive R$ 50 million and will take on an extensive range of activities within the Amazon biome.

The Fund, which was first launched by JBS in September 2020, is dedicated to promoting and financing initiatives and projects whose aim is the sustainable development of the Amazon Biome. The programme is open to contributions and partnerships with associations from the private sector, the third sector and multistakeholder groups. JBS has committed to make a matching contribution to each donation until R$ 500 million is reached, whilst the Fund has a wider target of raising R$ 1 billion by 2030.

Members of the Fund reviewed more than 50 project proposals before ultimately deciding on the six recipients of funding, which are as follows:

• RestaurAmazônia: developed by the NGO Solidaridad, with the support of the IPAM (The Environmental Research Institute for the Amazon), over five years the project will set up agroforestry systems that integrate livestock farming, agriculture and forestry across 1,500 smallholdings. The objective is to foster good agricultural practices so that the properties remain economically viable, sustain the farmers and also help absorb carbon from the atmosphere.
• The Inclusive Community Economies Program in the Communities of Bailique and Beira Amazonas: An initiative aimed at strengthening the region’s açaí production with a view to stimulating higher incomes for 240 local families, as well as consolidating an inclusive bioeconomy model that can be adopted in other chains. In addition to reforming production techniques, the project will also include the construction of new schools and vocational training for young people and women to engage in the activity.
• Fair and Sustainable Fishing Project: developed by the Asproc (The Carauari Rural Producers’ Association), this project is aimed at improving the fishing of pirarucu fish and its subsequent processing. The project will last two years, benefitting 450 families across 55 riverine communities by enhancing production and increasing income.
• AMAZ (Accelerator & Impact Investments): the first Amazon business accelerator focused on the socioenvironmental impact of forest-based enterprises. Headed by Idesam (The Amazon Development Institute), AMAZ will promote the acceleration of 30 startups in five years, which will be supported by a fund with philanthropic resources and private investments, as well as training and mentoring with a focus on preserving the forest.
• Leveraging credit for the forest chains: Instituto Conexões Sustentáveis will try out a work methodology which, over two years, will help to free up credit for smallholders in the value chains of nuts, açaí, fish, wood, oils and resins.Twenty-five local activators will be hired and trained to assist smallholders access credit on easy terms and conditions.
• Technical partnership with Embrapa: the initiative will develop research and technologies to enhance the value of forest products, including innovations in plant-based food, raw materials and inputs made from plant nanofibers. Also included are initiatives for reducing emissions by integrating crops, livestock farming and the forest, in addition to developing renewable technologies.