During the Amazon Week: Sustainable Rural Development and Agri-Food Systems, held in Manaus, the Amazon region was recognized as a hub for international cooperation for food security and climate change.
The event, organized by the Government of Brazil and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), brought together representatives from governments, multilateral organizations, indigenous peoples, farmers, and civil society.
A living laboratory for bioeconomy and rural transformation
85.4% of Amazonian agricultural farms are family-owned, key to sustainability.
FAO’s Chief Economist, Máximo Torero, emphasized that the Amazon can become a hub of agroecological innovation, with strategic investments recognizing the role of family farming and traditional communities.
In a context of severe food insecurity in many Amazonian cities, the commitment to guaranteeing the human right to food was reaffirmed, as expressed by Lilian Rahal, Food Security Secretary of the MDS.
South-South Cooperation and regional leadership
Two decades of nutrition policies and hunger combat as a model for the Global South.
Ambassador Ruy Pereira from the Brazilian Cooperation Agency highlighted the strategic role of the Amazon in biodiversity protection and fighting hunger, emphasizing South-South cooperation as a key tool to share experiences and strengthen capacities in Global South countries.
Indigenous peoples of Amapá in the Amazon, key to food security and the fight against climate change
Parallel forums and regional roadmap
Six priority areas were defined for joint action in the Amazon region.
Highlighted spaces included the Specialized Meeting on Family Farming of Mercosur (REAF) and the Regional Technical Dialogue on Amazonian Bioeconomy, with the participation of governments, development banks, companies, and indigenous leaders. The meeting concluded with a regional roadmap focused on:
- Markets and commercialization
- Public food procurement
- Link between climate and agri-food systems
- Circular economy
- Financing and investment
- Territorial governance
The Amazon as a carbon sink and climate regulator
It stores up to 200 billion tons of carbon and releases vital water for the global climate.
The Amazon rainforest absorbs large amounts of CO₂ through photosynthesis, and its forest biomass acts as a carbon sink equivalent to years of global emissions.
In addition, its evapotranspiration releases billions of tons of water per day, regulating carbon and water cycles and generating a cooling effect that stabilizes the climate.
Risks of deforestation and urgent measures
The loss of vegetation cover exacerbates climate change and threatens biodiversity.
Deforestation releases stored carbon, intensifies the greenhouse effect, and jeopardizes over 10% of terrestrial biodiversity. To reverse this trend, the following is required:
- Protection and active reforestation
- Sustainable natural resource management
- Community participation and climate investment
