Naturezas Quilombolas: Federal Government announces BRL 33 million from Amazon Fund for managing entity

On Thursday, May 22, Brazil’s Federal Government announced the managing partner of the Naturezas Quilombolas initiative, which strengthens the territorial and environmental management of quilombola communities within the Legal Amazon. The project will be carried out by Centro de Vida Institute (ICV), in partnership with Mato Grosso State Coordination of Quilombola Communities (Coordenação Estadual das Comunidades Quilombolas do Mato Grosso/CONAQ-MT) — and will receive up to BRL 33 million in non-repayable funding from the Amazon Fund (Fundo Amazônia).

The announcement was made by the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (Ministério do Meio Ambiente e Mudança do Clima/MMA); the Ministry of Racial Equality (MInistério da Igualdade Racial/MIR); and Brazil’s National Development Bank (BNDES) during a National Biodiversity Day ceremony at Rio de Janeiro’s Botanical Gardens. ICV will spearhead the project supporting initiatives in 40 quilombola territories across the Amazon.

The initiative aims to promote sustainable ways of life, productive ventures, and the management of natural resources across these lands, promoting the implementation of the National Quilombola Territorial and Environmental Management Policy (Política Nacional de Gestão Territorial e Ambiental Quilombola/PNGTAQ).

The funds allocated to quilombola communities will help, for instance, to sustain the activities from which they derive their financial sustenance — such as traditional agriculture"
Marina Silva 
Minister of Environment and Climate Change 

SEEDS — The project will be carried out through two public calls. The first — "Seeds" (“Sementes”) — is going to support up to ten local projects by quilombo organizations, focusing on strengthening institutions through training. Each proposal may receive up to BRL 100,000 to develop the PNGTAQ, and up to BRL 200,000 for implementation. BRL 3 million are expected to be allocated to this modality.

ROOTS — The second call — "Roots" (“Raízes”)  — will include up to six network-based projects, allowing for broader actions and the possibility of supporting multiple territories under each proposal. Funding will range from BRL 2 million to BRL 5 million per project, totaling up to BRL 30 million for this component, with an estimated reach of around 30 territories.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT — In addition to funding, selected organizations will receive technical, legal, and managerial support through dedicated workshops. A committee of experts engaged in the quilombola agenda will be responsible for selecting the proposals, based on criteria such as relevance, effectiveness, and sustainability. Activities are expected to begin in the second half of 2025.

TRADITIONAL PEOPLES — Minister Marina Silva highlighted the use of Amazon Fund resources to benefit traditional populations. "The Naturezas Quilombolas initiative is an example of how resources that have been raised for the Amazon Fund from donor countries — due to the reduction of deforestation in the biome — contribute to strengthening environmental governance and developing scientific research. In this way, they benefit populations that, with their knowledge and ways of life, protect the forest," said Marina Silva.

 ‘’The funds allocated to quilombola communities will help, for instance, to sustain the activities from which they derive their financial sustenance — such as traditional agriculture’’ added the minister.

RECOGNITION — Minister of Racial Equality Anielle Franco emphasized that the investment represents a milestone in the recognition of quilombola communities and their strategic role to environmental preservation.

"It is this government's greatest investment in a much-needed policy that recognizes that, as in indigenous territories, the quilombola are the ones who best preserve the environment, because of their sustainable ways of life and productive systems. I am absolutely sure that we can only gain from this public call," said Anielle Franco.

The president of BNDES Aloizio Mercadante also highlighted the importance of the initiative to preserve the environment. "Strengthening the quilombola communities is also investing in the environmental preservation of Brazil. In the context of a climate emergency and accelerating deforestation, recognizing and supporting these territories stands out as one of the most effective strategies to safeguard Brazil's biomes — as these communities are true guardians of biodiversity," he stated.

The coordinator of the ICV Transparency and Climate Justice Program (Programa de Transparência e Justiça Climática) Deroní Mendes advocated for the protection of traditional communities. "We at the Centro de Vida Institute are honored to work alongside CONAQ-MT. We believe that our forests can only be preserved through the leadership of traditional communities. Regularized and protected quilombo territories are part of the solution," he said.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT — Data from the IBGE 2022 Census indicate that Brazil harbors 1.3 million quilombola people across 1,696 municipalities. Of this total, 32% are in the Legal Amazon — the equivalent of 426,000 people in 201 territories, with the highest concentrations in the states of Maranhão and Pará.

A MapBiomas study released in August 2023 reinforces the strategic role of quilombola people in environmental conservation. The study analyzed 494 officially delimited territories and found that between 1985 and 2022, these areas lost only 4.7% of their native vegetation, whereas private properties registered a 17% loss over the same period.

"The study also reveals that quilombola territories already measured showed an even better performance, with only a 3.2% loss of vegetation cover since 1985, while those still awaiting delimitation experienced a 5.5% loss. These figures indicate that land titling strengthens environmental protection by providing legal certainty and encouraging sustainable practices maintained for generations."

 MANAGING PARTNER — Based in the state of Mato Grosso, the Centro de Vida Institute has been working, since 1991, on initiatives focused on environmental conservation, agroecology and sustainable development with rural and traditional communities. CONAQ-MT, on the other hand, represents 134 quilombola communities in the state, and integrates state and national networks that defend the territorial and environmental rights of the quilombola people.

AMAZON FUND — Coordinated by the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change and managed by BNDES, the Amazon Fund is the main tool for raising and applying resources for the preservation of the rainforest and the sustainable development of the Amazon Region. Created in 2008 with non-refundable resources, the Fund supports actions to prevent, monitor and combat deforestation, and to promote conservation and sustainable use of the Legal Amazon.

More information about each supported project is available on the Amazon Fund website.