Pará signs international partnership to benefit communities in Terra do Meio with conservation and income generation actions
Agreement with IDB and Funbio guarantees US$ 3.5 million for strengthening Payment for Environmental Services, reaching about 500 families in southwestern Pará
The Government of Pará signed, this Wednesday (12), during the program at the Blue Zone of COP30 in Belém, an agreement with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Brazilian Fund for Biodiversity (Funbio), which will allocate US$ 3.5 million for environmental conservation and income generation actions in traditional communities in the Terra do Meio region, in southwestern Pará.
The initiative will directly benefit about 500 indigenous, quilombola, and riverside families, marking a new stage in the State Policy of Payment for Environmental Services (PSA). The goal is to recognize the role of these populations in forest preservation and promote sustainable development models in collective territories.
The project will be executed by Funbio, coordinated by the State Secretariat for the Environment, Climate and Sustainability (Semas), and with technical support from The Nature Conservancy (TNC). About 40% of the resources will be used directly for payments, in a pilot project that will integrate the state program Valoriza Territórios Sustentáveis, guiding the construction of a permanent public policy of PSA in Pará.
Governor Helder Barbalho emphasized the importance of the action as part of a climate justice and social inclusion policy.
“Pará has shown Brazil and the world that it is possible to reconcile economic development with environmental conservation and the appreciation of the people living in the forest. With this project, we take another step to recognize the fundamental role of indigenous peoples, quilombolas, and traditional communities as guardians of the Amazon,” said Helder.
The head of the State Executive also highlighted that the partnership with IDB and Funbio strengthens the Pará PSA policy, ensuring income and sustainability with respect for the cultural diversity of the forest peoples.
Strengthening local governance
During the signing of the agreement, Francisco de Assis, president of the Terra do Meio Network, emphasized the importance of the moment for the communities in the region:
“This is a very special moment in my life. I have experienced many cycles, but this is the most important, as I am here alongside the governor signing a contract that will promote public policies for the vulnerable communities of Terra do Meio,” he said.
The region encompasses more than 23 million hectares, including five conservation units and eight indigenous lands, where dozens of communities maintain high preservation rates even in areas under intense pressure from deforestation and land grabbing.
The Secretary-General of Funbio, Rosa Lemos de Sá, reinforced the structural reach of the initiative. “The partnership with IDB and the State of Pará constitutes a structuring action that lays the foundations for a long-term PSA program. It will certainly generate valuable lessons that can become a model for all of Brazil.”
Global commitment to the Amazon
The project is part of the Amazon Always program of the IDB Group, aimed at expanding financing and the impact of sustainable actions throughout the Amazon region. For the Government of Pará, the agreement represents another step in consolidating public policies that associate forest conservation with the social and economic appreciation of the forest peoples.
