£10m (R$60m) has been awarded to 12 projects to preserve and foster the bioeconomy in the Amazon biome by the Fund during its two-year existence.

A compostable alternative to plastic made from nut shells; a “cocoa corridor” of protected rainforest; and an initiative empowering women in indigenous tribes to protect their ancestral forests are the latest recipients of JBS Fund for the Amazon funding.

In total, seven new projects led by Brazilian and international partners including The Good Food Institute, Forest Trends and Embrapa (The Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation), among others, have been selected from over 100 proposals,

The chosen projects include promoting scientific research and actions that foster the bioeconomy, involving the production chains of cashew nuts, cupuaçu and mushrooms. This is the first time that the Fund is supporting a project on indigenous lands focused on developing the Brazil nut chain, handicraft production and creation of a forest seed network.

“The new projects supported encourage the study and development of ingredients and products based on the biodiversity of the Amazon biome, generating business for the region”, points out Joanita Maestri Karoleski, president of the JBS Fund for the Amazon. “These innovative projects will undoubtedly make a massive contribution to the Amazon production chain and the local communities”, added Andrea Azevedo, Programs and Projects Director of the Fund.