Brazil's pioneering rainforest & livelihoods scheme

A case study on the Bolsa Floresta ("Forest Allowance") Programme in the Brazilian state of Amazonas, a payment for ecosystems services (PES) scheme that combines community investments and cash payments to conserve rainforests and improve local livelihoods.

• The Bolsa Floresta Programme (BFP), operating since 2007 in the state of Amazonas, is a private NGO-managed PES scheme funded by private entities including Samsung, Coca-Cola, Marriott International, and Abril Media Group. It utilizes four components: community-level investments for sustainable enterprises (such as aquaculture and ecotourism), social investments in infrastructure, funding for civic associations, and monthly payments of approximately 30 USD to female heads of household in exchange for zero net deforestation and good forest management.
• Between 2008 and 2016, the BFP invested BRL 119.4 million (US$37.3 million), with 76% of these funds paid directly to communities. The program expanded to cover 583 communities across 10.9 million hectares of forest, funding infrastructure including 67 schools, 160 radio communication stations, and 91 river ambulances. Data indicates that the deforestation rate in BFP areas decreased by 54% compared to a pre-2008 baseline, and 90% of surveyed participants believe the program reduced deforestation and forest fires.
• The BFP faces challenges regarding monitoring and financial viability. The inaccessibility of the Amazon rainforest makes evaluation difficult, and the program currently relies on external monitoring and sanctions rather than community self-regulation. Additionally, cash payments are considered low and do not fully compensate for lost forest income, leading 50% of surveyed participants to worry about a decrease in household income.

APA

Martin, B. (2018). Brazil's pioneering rainforest & livelihoods scheme. Green Economy Coalition. https://www.greeneconomycoalition.org/news-and-resources/brazils-pioneering-rainforest-livelihoods-scheme

Chicago

Martin, Ben. Brazil's pioneering rainforest & livelihoods scheme. Green Economy Coalition, 2018. https://www.greeneconomycoalition.org/news-and-resources/brazils-pioneering-rainforest-livelihoods-scheme.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Martin |first1=Ben |title=Brazil's pioneering rainforest & livelihoods scheme |publisher=Green Economy Coalition |date=8 November 2018 |url=https://www.greeneconomycoalition.org/news-and-resources/brazils-pioneering-rainforest-livelihoods-scheme |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{martin2018brazils, author = {Martin, Ben}, title = {{Brazil's pioneering rainforest \& livelihoods scheme}}, institution = {Green Economy Coalition}, year = {2018}, month = nov, url = {https://www.greeneconomycoalition.org/news-and-resources/brazils-pioneering-rainforest-livelihoods-scheme}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }