“BNDES signs R$ 6.6 million agreement with Acre’s Ashaninka People”, 17 April 2015

The Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) signed a R$ 6.6 million agreement with the Ashaninka Association of the Amônia River within the scope of the Amazon Fund .The operation was approved in February 2015, and the agreement, signed on April 16…This is the first project conceived and submitted directly to the Amazon Fund by an indigenous community…In the pioneering operation, the BNDES’ team in charge of the Amazon Fund, together with Ashaninka indigenous representatives…reviewed the different steps of the…project until it was finally approved. The Ashaninka people…live in the Apiwtxa village…which is part of the Indigenous Land...known as Kampa on the Amônia River…located in the city of Marechal Thaumaturgo, bordering Peru and next to the Alto Juruá Extraction Reserve – constantly faces deforestation and environmental degradation.The project comprises efforts to benefit not only the Ashaninka people, but also other indigenous and non-indigenous communities…The goal is to promote agro-forestry management and production within communities…in addition to supporting territorial monitoring and control initiatives and strengthening local organization in the Alto Juruá/Acre region…It took three years to conceive the project, which is part of the Ashaninka people’s strategy to protect their territory and natural resources. The Ashaninka people understood the efforts together with surrounding communities as an opportunity to mobilize partnerships and minimize threats to the region…