Alok
“We need to plant right now! It’s urgent! Nature itself is the solution; trees are the technology to tackle the climate crisis. We need to reforest on a massive scale in Brazil and across the planet, and I want to do my part with the PLANETA VERDE program. We must preserve what still exists, but we also need to plant—it’s urgent!”
With the launch of the PLANETA VERDE program, the Alok Institute aims to contribute to reforestation, restoration, and preservation efforts in various ecosystems across different biomes.
These actions also consider local populations’ quality of life, empowerment, and leadership, including income generation whenever possible.
Amazon
The first initiatives are taking place in Pará and Acre, where 252,000 trees have been planted, with support from the Airbnb Community Fund and partnerships with SOS Amazônia and the IEB – International Institute of Education of Brazil.
“Airbnb believes in the transformative power of sustainable tourism and has supported several initiatives through its Community Fund in recent years. By donating to the Alok Institute, we reinforce our commitment to create positive and lasting impact through projects that promote environmental recovery and empower local communities”, says Aleksandra Ristovic, Institutional and Government Relations Manager for Airbnb in Brazil.
Agroforestry In Family
In Pará, the PLANETA VERDE program partners with IEB—the International Institute of Education of Brazil—and organizations and families from the Island of Marajó through the “Marajó —Agroforestry in Family” project. This initiative has increased the income of 150 women by 75%, and they are planting 240,000 saplings to restore about 200 hectares (approximately 200 soccer fields or 2 million square meters).
The women are primarily agro-extractivists and riverside dwellers.
The project takes place in the cities of Breves, Curralinho, Melgaço, Muaná, Portel, and São Sebastião da Boa Vista, a region known for high deforestation rates and one of the worst Human Development Index scores in the country.
The project utilizes the Agroforestry System (SAF) methodology, which allows for the simultaneous cultivation of various tree species such as Andiroba, Jatobá, and Pracaxi, as well as palms like açaí and pupunha. It also incorporates long- and short-cycle agricultural and fruit species, including cacao, cupuaçu, pineapple, cassava, papaya, and banana, all within the same area. This diversity of species promotes the recovery of ecosystem services and provides income for families in the short, medium, and long term. SAF is vital for ensuring food security and sovereignty in local communities.
According to Manuel Amaral, Executive Coordinator of IEB, “The partnership with the Alok Institute and the Airbnb Community Fund is strategic because it drives productive restoration in an area that plays a crucial role in protecting the Amazon ecosystem, which has been under significant deforestation pressure. Establishing nurseries and SAFs encourages family engagement in the territory, boosting a local economy based on agroforestry and the diversification of production and income while contributing to food sovereignty and security for the region’s residents.”
Make The Forest Bloom
In Acre, the “Make the Forest Bloom – Field of Plenty” initiative, in collaboration with SOS Amazônia, has launched an agroforestry system as part of a restoration project covering 7 hectares (70,000 square meters). This project aims to restore an area damaged by an illegal fire in 2019.
The territory is home to the Huwã Karu Yuxibu Center, designed by the spiritual leader and artist Mapu Huni Kuin. The center aims to ensure food security for the Indigenous peoples living on the outskirts of Rio Branco and preserve their culture, sacred medicine, and spiritual practices.
Mapu is the performer of the song Yube Mana Ibubu, with Alok for the album O Futuro Ancestral.
“It’s a dream coming true. When this land was burned, I thought my whole dream was destroyed, but I felt certain I could bring life back to that beautiful forest. We have a deep partnership with the Alok Institute, which we call Field of Plenty. It also includes the construction of the Piti Kuin restaurant, already completed at the Huwã Karu Yuxibu Center. What was missing was the agroforestry development, which happened thanks to the collaboration between the Alok Institute, Airbnb, and SOS Amazônia,” says Mapu.
SOS Amazônia, responsible for the reforestation project, will build a community nursery annually producing 12,000 saplings of forest, fruit, and palm species. The project will also provide technical assistance, supplies, tools, and an irrigation system to ensure the saplings’ survival during the dry season.
According to Adair Duarte, Forest Restoration Leader at SOS Amazônia, planting agroforests helps restore the forest landscape, ensuring the delivery of ecosystem services. “In addition to protecting the soil and water, agroforestry contributes to a food supply, which positively impacts the food security of families and the functioning of the Pit Kuin restaurant, which focuses on traditional indigenous cuisine and is emerging as an alternative source of work and income for the community”, says Adair.
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IIEB – International Institute of Education of Brazil
O IEB foi fundado em 1998 com o objetivo de fornecer treinamento, promover educação, gerar e disseminar conhecimento, e reunir partes interessadas para construir uma sociedade sustentável. Suas ações de conservação de recursos naturais integram as diferentes dimensões da sustentabilidade, abrangendo aspectos econômicos, sociais e culturais, fortalecendo os atores sociais e o seu protagonismo.
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SOS Amazônia
SOS Amazônia, founded in 1988 in Rio Branco, Acre, is the NGO responsible for the technical aspects of the reforestation project. One of its founders is the environmental leader Chico Mendes. SOS Amazônia plays an essential role in the state’s Conservation Units and supports the implementation of public policies for conservation and rural community support.
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