Accessibility in the Legal Amazon: Digital Solutions

The document examines the potential of information and communication technologies (ICT) to improve economic accessibility in the Legal Amazon. It reviews global evidence showing that mobile and broadband services increase productivity, employment, and market access in developing regions. In the Legal Amazon, the brief identifies significant gaps in 3G/4G mobile internet access in rural areas and broadband access in both urban and rural sectors compared to the rest of Brazil, recommending targeted infrastructure investments to overcome these barriers.

• Expanding digital connectivity in the Legal Amazon is strategic because it increases accessibility without the "socio-environmental risks associated with investing in traditional logistics" such as roads and railways, while potentially increasing income and job opportunities for local workers and entrepreneurs.
• Global evidence indicates that ICTs benefit developing areas across various education levels. In India's Kerala state, mobile phones helped fishermen reduce price dispersion and raise profits by nearly 8%. In Kenya and Rwanda, small-scale farmers saw productivity gains of around 4% through better access to rural extension services. Additionally, the M-PESA service in Kenya improved risk management, savings, and consumption while reducing poverty.
• Broadband internet expansion in developing countries is linked to higher employment rates; data from African countries shows individuals near better broadband access are 3 to 13 percentage points more likely to be employed. Similarly, high-speed internet in China has been shown to increase exports by improving communication between businesses, consumers, and suppliers.
• The Legal Amazon faces significant digital infrastructure deficits compared to the rest of Brazil. Only 25% of rural residents have access to 3G or 4G mobile internet, which is 10 percentage points lower than the national average. Furthermore, broadband internet access is 20 percentage points lower in urban areas (55%) and 18 percentage points lower in rural areas (45%) than in the rest of the country.

APA

Araujo, R., Bragança, A., & Assunção, J. (2022). Accessibility in the Legal Amazon: Digital Solutions. Climate Policy Initiative. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/AMZ2030_Digital-Solutions.pdf

Chicago

Araujo, Rafael, Arthur Bragança, and Juliano Assunção. Accessibility in the Legal Amazon: Digital Solutions. Climate Policy Initiative, 2022. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/AMZ2030_Digital-Solutions.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Araujo |first1=Rafael |last2=Bragança |first2=Arthur |last3=Assunção |first3=Juliano |title=Accessibility in the Legal Amazon: Digital Solutions |publisher=Climate Policy Initiative |date=June 2022 |url=https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/AMZ2030_Digital-Solutions.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{araujo2022accessibility, author = {Araujo, Rafael and Bragança, Arthur and Assunção, Juliano}, title = {{Accessibility in the Legal Amazon: Digital Solutions}}, institution = {Climate Policy Initiative}, year = {2022}, month = jun, url = {https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/AMZ2030_Digital-Solutions.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }