Amazon Bioeconomy Campaign
A Campaign to Accelerate Shifts in Global Procurement to Support Amazon Forest Bioeconomies
I. Problem
The Amazon rainforest has reached a critical tipping point, posing severe risks for South American agricultural markets. Its collapse will disrupt rainfall and food production, posing significant challenges to regional stability where climate patterns are directly influenced by the Amazon and certain geographies are already experiencing droughts and crop failure.
Underlying Causes and Opportunities
Most deforestation in the Amazon is caused by logging, cattle ranching, soy farming and the pursuit of economic opportunity. However, the oxisol-type soils quickly lose fertility due to intense rains and sustainability expertise is scarce. As a result of these obstacles, and others, production is low, legal compliance is cost prohibitive, and transition financing to more sustainable agriculture practices is difficult to access. Frontier expansion through forest clearing continues as a result, with corrupt regulatory processes enabling the way such as land title fraud and amnesties for deforestation perpetrators.
While cattle and soy commodity prices drive the expansion and contraction of deforestation activities, new concerns are on the horizon. The rising alarms of climate stability, and deforestation-related export restrictions, have galvanized diverse stakeholders to take action. Carbon and agroforestry entrepreneurs are expanding production and consumers are preparing to eat less non-verified/non-compliant Amazonian beef.
II. Solution
To safeguard South American water cycles, we need a global campaign to prepare for shifting corporate procurement strategies away from deforestation-implicated supply chains and toward Amazonian bioeconomies that regenerate the rainforest.
Amazonian Bioeconomies
The term “Amazonian bioeconomies” refers to sectors, industries, and commodities in the Amazon region, including Brazil, that depend on protecting and restoring the rainforest. In addition to the creation of nature reserves, there are two primary bioeconomy productions systems: wild harvesting and restoration. Wild harvesting protects forests and involves the collection of wild-grown non-timber forest products (NTFPs) from standing forests. The practice strengthens the economic value of forests. Restoration includes agroforestry and reforestation. The practice regenerates deforested land that is reclaimed from seasonal crop monocultures, cattle and degraded unproductive areas. Agroforestry involves nut and fruit tree production. Reforestation involves planting trees for native forest regeneration or for sustainable timber management. The economic development from these activities falls into three categories:
Production Categories:
- Commodities: Crops including açai, cacao, and Brazil nuts, as well as handicrafts produced by Indigenous and other traditional Amazonian communities.
- Novel ingredients and food solutions for consumers: Amazonian businesses leading innovation in agritech development, supply chain tracing, alternative protein production, precision fermentation, crop management, and other forms of forest-positive entrepreneurship.
- Carbon and Biodiversity Markets: Next-generation carbon and biodiversity market models that address the implementation, measurement, and equity issues of historic markets.
Campaign Strategy
Launching a campaign to facilitate the transition of global corporate procurement away from deforestation and towards these bioeconomies would require a coordinated strategy involving governments, business, culture, philanthropy, certification agencies, NGOs, Amazonian entrepreneurs and traditional Amazonian peoples. The following six phases outline some of the necessary steps that would be needed to make a campaign possible. Some phases will roll out simultaneously.
Phase 1: Stakeholder Mapping and Engagement – In addition to mapping out buyers, sellers, and marketplaces, organize outreach to select industry verticals that will be key for operating the campaign. They include celebrities, social media influencers, chefs, restaurants, NGOs, cooperatives, indigenous tribes, certification agencies, and other allies.
Phase 2: Messaging, Policy and Governance – Develop group statements on campaign principals and values including commitments to sustainability, inclusion and equity. Develop messaging and media kits to elevate success stories and best practices of Amazonian bioeconomy development. Craft bioeconomy policy recommendations such as price subsidies for wild-harvest products. Develop cooperation agreements with certification agencies.
Phase 3: Organize Suppliers – Develop portfolio of supply chain traceability solutions. Launch sourcing evaluation program. Enroll certification agencies and marketplaces. Develop a portfolio of high integrity suppliers.
Phase 4: Organize Buyers – Present Amazonian opportunities to groups of buyers. Secure a select group of buyers who agree to give preferential procurement attention to qualified suppliers. Present supply chain traceability offerings and impact measurement opportunities.
Phase 5: Marketplace and Partnership Development – Support Amazonian delegations to trade shows. Identify potential suppliers to match with buyers and mobilize investment, philanthropy, certification, insurance and traceability solutions required for them to sign long term purchase agreements via the AIC Partnership Development Program. Enroll carbon and biodiversity market financing.
Phase 6: Publicity Campaign – Drive consumer interest by promoting Amazonian products and brands with celebrities, social media influencers, chefs, restaurants, supermarkets, and other allies in food, cosmetics and fashion industries.
III. Early Partners
The following partners have begun a dialog to explore implementing the campaign outlined here.
Uniting philanthropy, investors, and corporate buyers and guiding strategy around Amazonian bioeconomic development. |
Seed-funding campaign development and managing impact strategy across influencers, government, NGOs, and philanthropic stakeholders; |
Engaging directly with Brazilian government, philanthropy, and frontline communities to advance and implement policy and innovative market models. |
Collaborating with high-profile influencers and businesses to catalyze shifts toward equitable, plant-based food systems. |
IV. Expected Outcomes
Outcomes include increased public awareness, international collaboration to support Brazil’s bioeconomy, new investments in forest-positive industries, regeneration of the Amazon forest, and mitigated impacts of climate change.
V. Risks and Mitigation
Risks include potential counter-narratives, push back from deforestation advocates, and difficulty engaging sensitive partners. Mitigation strategies will be developed in collaboration with diverse stakeholders.