WASHINGTON, DC, August 28, 2025 - The World Bank's Board of Directors has approved a new project to protect forests and promote sustainable development in the Lower Xingu region, in the state of Pará, Brazil.
The initiative, developed in partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the Government of Pará, the Brazilian Forest Service, and the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), will support the conservation of one of Brazil's most important ecosystems. It will improve land use in more than 11 million hectares and benefit over 6,000 people, including Indigenous Peoples and traditional communities.
The Lower Xingu is home to protected areas and Indigenous Lands that are vital for biodiversity, climate stability, and local livelihoods. Yet the region faces increasing threats from deforestation, illegal land grabbing, and climate change.
To address these challenges, the project will:
- Protect forests and conservation areas more effectively by training local managers, providing equipment and technical support, and involving Indigenous Peoples, Quilombola communities, and traditional populations in monitoring and decision-making.
- Encourage sustainable livelihoods by supporting community-based forest management, small-scale enterprises, and local bioeconomy initiatives such as seed collection, agroforestry, and ecotourism, with a special focus on women's participation and leadership.
- Work with local governments and communities to improve land-use practices, for example by helping municipalities plan forest restoration, recover degraded areas, and adopt fairer and clearer rules for managing land and natural resources.
- Promote education and knowledge-sharing by creating spaces for environmental learning, producing local communication content, and connecting schools, youth, and community organizations so they can exchange experiences and strengthen their role in conservation.
The project is part of the Amazon Sustainable Landscapes Program (ASL), a regional initiative financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). Together with partner countries, the ASL seeks to conserve forests, restore degraded areas, and strengthen sustainable value chains across the Amazon. The total cost of the Xingu project is US$8.56 million.
"The ASL Xingu project replicates the advances achieved under ASL 1 and 2, applying an integrated landscape management approach in a new region of the Amazon, where the lessons learned will strengthen national biodiversity and climate public policies in coordination with the state of Pará and municipalities," stated Carlos Eduardo Marinello, Acting National Secretary for Biodiversity, Forests and Animal Rights at the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change.
"This initiative reflects the World Bank's commitment to community-driven solutions for sustainable development in the Amazon," said Jorge Coarasa Bustamante, Interim Country Director for Brazil at the World Bank. "By empowering local communities, we help protect the forest and improve lives."
Aligned with Brazil's environmental and climate goals, the project contributes to the country's commitment to the Paris Agreement and the Global Biodiversity Framework, reinforcing Brazil's leadership in protecting the Amazon.
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