An unprecedented study reveals that the **Indigenous Lands** (IL) of the **Amazon** play a fundamental role in the **rain regime** that benefits 80% of the area occupied by agricultural activities in **Brazil**.
In 2021, these **agricultural areas** reached an economic income of R$ 338 billion, representing 57% of the national total.
## Contribution of Indigenous Lands
The IL, covering approximately 23% of Legal Amazon, have been effective barriers against deforestation.
Between 2019 and 2023, only 3% of the 4.4 million hectares deforested in the Amazon occurred within these territories. These territories **protect biodiversity** and ecosystem balance, allowing for **water recycling** that is vital for rainfall.
## Influence on Precipitation
Eighteen Brazilian states and the Federal District are partially or entirely under the influence of the Amazon IL.
Rainfall caused by water recycling in these forests can represent up to a third of the total annual volume in some regions, especially in **Acre, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, and Paraná**. Overall, up to 30% of the rainfall in the country’s agricultural lands is related to efficient water recycling in these territories.
## Natural “Irrigation” Mechanism
The Amazon irrigates a large part of Brazil through **”atmospheric rivers”**. The recycled **humidity** in the IL forests is transported by the atmosphere and turns into rain in other regions.
Trees pump water from the ground into the atmosphere, forming clouds that promote rainfall. The excess moisture is carried by the trade winds to **the Andes**, where it is redirected southward and southeastward on the continent, forming the “atmospheric rivers” that irrigate regions such as the Pantanal and the **Río de la Plata basin**.
## Importance of Conservation
The study highlights the importance of preserving native forest areas to ensure the flow of moisture and rain formation.
Protecting IL is not only crucial for biodiversity and **indigenous communities**, but also for the sustainability of agriculture and the Brazilian economy.
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