Bild eines Sumpfgebietes in Brasilien mit Seerosen und Bäumen.

    Core area “Conserving nature and natural resources, protecting life on Earth” Stopping deforestation, securing rural incomes

    Covering an area of just under five million square kilometres, Brazil's tropical forests make up about 12 per cent of the world's total forest area. The BMZ has been providing various kinds of support for many years aimed at assisting the Brazilian government in protecting the tropical rainforest and using it in a responsible way. The regional focus of these activities is on the Amazon region.

    Brazil is faced with a tremendous challenge from the rapidly increasing deforestation of the Amazon region, which is considered one of the main drivers of greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss worldwide.

    Since the current Brazilian government assumed office, it has been able to halve the deforestation rate in the Amazon region. And between August 2024 and July 2025, deforestation dropped again by 11 per cent compared with the previous year. However, the increase in forest fires is posing a major risk to the forest. Some 20 per cent of the original Amazon rainforest has already been lost irretrievably. Experts are warning of an ecological tipping point after which the forest will no longer be able to fulfil its function for the global climate.

    The local population, which includes Indigenous and traditional communities, is highly dependent on forest resources. The loss of such resources poses a threat to their livelihoods. In view of this, projects such as support for the socio-bioeconomy and the Amazon Fund are essential with a view to fostering the sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity and the generation of incomes for Indigenous and rural communities, and with a view to reducing illegal deforestation and thus ensuring the long-term conservation of the Amazon forest.

    Objective of cooperation

    Deforestation in the Brazilian state of Maranhão

    Deforestation in the Brazilian state of Maranhão

    The BMZ fosters the protection of natural resources and sources of livelihood by supporting projects that reduce deforestation in the Amazon region, strengthen the sustainable use of resources and improve local communities' living conditions. The objective of these activities is to conserve the Amazon rainforest, as an important stabilising factor for the global climate and as a living environment for Indigenous and traditional communities, with a view to advancing global climate action and environmental protection. This cooperation contributes towards achieving global Sustainable Development Goals and assists Brazil in reaching its goal of zero deforestation by 2030.

    Processes and project examples

    • The Amazon Fund is a globally unique signature project for the protection of forests and biodiversity. It has become a central instrument for numerous donors. Examples of the Fund's activities include the financing of projects to foster the sustainable cultivation of forest products, to monitor deforestation, and to encourage sustainable land use. The BMZ has provided about 90 million euros for the Fund's work and has also been supporting it through advice on impact monitoring and evaluation.

    • Support for the socio-bioeconomy. The BMZ supports activities and strategies for the responsible use of natural resources and the development of sustainable value chains that respect cultural and biological diversity. Support is being provided, in particular, for the sustainable use of traditional products such as rubber, açaí and other forest products, and for the development of sustainable agroforestry systems, with a view to securing local communities' incomes on a long-term basis and protecting ecosystems. The focus is on smallholders and Indigenous and traditional communities.

    • Support for protected areas and empowerment of Indigenous peoples. Protected areas are very important for achieving the international goals on climate action and biodiversity conservation. Examples of the BMZ's activities include its long-standing support for the world's largest protected area programme, the Amazon Region Protected Areas Program (ARPA), and its assistance to FUNAI, the Indigenous policy agency, and to the newly created Ministry of Indigenous Peoples. This assistance relates to efforts such as the demarcation of Indigenous territories and the provision of technical equipment for the regional offices responsible for the protection of the territories.

    As at: 07/11/2025