TECHNICAL REPORT
Seeds, food systems, biodiversity and archaeological-cultural heritage of the 7 Indigenous territories
| Document 1 · Territorial characterization for technical design, MEL and the GCF proposal |
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4rest4all Association
CNPJ 66.464.130/0001-93
Flora Ardenghi Dutra - Founder and Executive Director
Technical partner: 751.Earth · Green Climate Fund proposal - 2026
Version: June 2026 · 7 territories · 10 community actors
Each territory has a fiche with five blocks: general data; seeds and food systems; biodiversity and medicinal plants; archaeological and cultural heritage; and technical focus, focal actor and safeguards. Scientific names accompany the species wherever available. The archaeological-heritage blocks present the regional context of the historical depth of Indigenous occupation - they do not constitute research authorization.
| Cross-cutting safeguard. No recording of a seed, plant, image or site takes place without FPIC. Archaeological research requires IPHAN authorization and community consent. The aim is not to excavate or collect, but to acknowledge the historical depth of Indigenous occupation, protect what exists, and strengthen living systems. In territories with isolated peoples, nothing is approached. |
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| Data | Content |
|---|---|
| State | Mato Grosso (MT) |
| Area | 2,642,003 ha (~26,420 km²) |
| Status in the project | Phase 1 core + Expanded Network |
| History | 1961 - first large Indigenous Land ratified in Brazil |
| Peoples / ethnicities | 16+ peoples: Yawalapiti, Kuikuro, Kalapalo, Kamayurá, Wauja, Mehinaku, Kayabi and others |
| Resident population | ~7,000-8,000 people |
| Communities | more than 100 villages |
| Focal actor(s) | Instituto Aritana; Camaçari Indigenous Site; Awapa Association |
| Contact / representative | Tapi Yawalapiti / Ronnan Kayabi |
| Species | Scientific name | Main use |
|---|---|---|
| Pequi | Caryocar brasiliense | ceremonial and everyday food |
| Cassava | Manihot esculenta | food staple, flour and beiju |
| Açaí | Euterpe spp. | fruit and beverage |
| Buriti | Mauritia flexuosa | oil and fruit |
| Bacaba | Oenocarpus bacaba | traditional beverage |
| Cupuaçu | Theobroma grandiflorum | fruit |
Agroforestry landscapes managed by communities; multi-ethnic traditional gardens. Women hold critical knowledge of cassava cultivation, medicinal plants and traditional food preparation.
The Upper Xingu is a world reference in Amazonian archaeology: records of pre-colonial landscapes with settlements articulated by plazas, roads and ditches (the so-called “garden cities”), associated with Amazonian Dark Earths (terra preta). They evidence dense occupation and long-standing forest management - heritage to be protected and acknowledged together with the communities and IPHAN.
Technical focus: Seeds, cassava, pequi, traditional gardens, intergenerational transmission and intercultural governance.
Safeguards and priorities: Confirm the formal roles of each actor (Aritana, Camaçari, Awapa) and the consultation documentation.
| Data | Content |
|---|---|
| State | Amazonas (AM) |
| Area | 8,544,480 ha (~85,445 km²) |
| Status in the project | Phase 1 core + Expanded Network |
| History | Demarcated in 2001 (ratified in 2011) |
| Peoples / ethnicities | Marubo, Matsés, Kanamari, Matis, Kulina Pano, Korubo, Tsohom Dyapá + about 19 records of isolated peoples |
| Resident population | ~6,300 people (DSEI 2020), not counting isolated groups |
| Communities | ~48-56 villages |
| Focal actor(s) | Kapyvanaway Association |
| Contact / representative | Enoque Enes de Oliveira |
| Species | Scientific name | Main use |
|---|---|---|
| Açaí | Euterpe precatoria | energy food |
| Peach palm | Bactris gasipaes | fruit and flour |
| Brazil nut | Bertholletia excelsa | protein source |
| Buriti | Mauritia flexuosa | oils and fruit |
| Ingá | Inga spp. | sweet fruit |
| Copaiba | Copaifera spp. | medicinal oil |
Forest agroforestry, rotating gardens, gathering of wild fruit and cultivation of medicinal plants. The world's largest concentration of isolated peoples - biodiversity and knowledge of the highest ethical sensitivity.
A remote region, little documented archaeologically, precisely because of its isolation. Any material-heritage approach is inadvisable at this stage: the priority is territorial protection and not exposing the areas of isolated peoples.
Technical focus: Marubo/Tamawavo knowledge, medicinal plants, forest foods, territorial security and protection against biopiracy.
Safeguards and priorities: Reinforced consultation; define what may and may not be documented; no contact with isolated peoples; restricted, non-public archive.
| Data | Content |
|---|---|
| State | Roraima and Amazonas (RR/AM) |
| Area | 9,664,975 ha (~96,650 km²) - Brazil's largest Indigenous Land |
| Status in the project | Phase 1 core + Expanded Network |
| History | Ratified in 1992 |
| Peoples / ethnicities | Yanomami and Ye’kwana + isolated peoples |
| Resident population | ~31,000 people (SESAI 2023) |
| Communities | ~384 villages |
| Focal actor(s) | Urihi Yanomami Association |
| Contact / representative | Waihiri Yanomami / Hekurari Yanomami (articulate with Hutukara) |
| Species | Scientific name | Main use |
|---|---|---|
| Cassava | Manihot esculenta | flour, bread and porridge |
| Banana / plantain | Musa spp. | basic energy source |
| Sweet potato | Ipomoea batatas | daily nutrition |
| Yam | Dioscorea spp. | tuber |
| Maize | Zea mays | ceremonial and food use |
| Peanut | Arachis hypogaea | plant protein |
Polyculture forest agriculture, complemented by hunting, fishing and gathering. These crops can account for up to 75% of caloric intake. Women are central to seed preservation, garden cultivation and medicinal-plant knowledge.
Millennia-old occupation of the northern Amazon, with ceramic traditions and terra preta sites linked to the people's long history. The Sacred Seeds focus is food sovereignty and territorial health - not material-heritage research, given the sanitary and protection context.
Technical focus: Food sovereignty, nutritional recovery, Yanomami gardens, banana, cassava, maize, medicinal plants and territorial health.
Safeguards and priorities: Align Urihi/Hutukara; integrate Indigenous health agents; record community conditions; sensitivity to the health-emergency context.
| Data | Content |
|---|---|
| State | Amazonas (AM) |
| Area | 257,000 ha (~2,570 km²) |
| Status in the project | Phase 1 core + Expanded Network |
| History | Approved in 2009; São Gabriel da Cachoeira region |
| Peoples / ethnicities | Tukano, Baniwa and other Upper Rio Negro peoples |
| Resident population | Upper Rio Negro communities (municipality ~93% Indigenous) |
| Communities | peri-urban territory, few villages of its own |
| Focal actor(s) | Cooperíndio (Brazil's first Indigenous cooperative); Parintins School (educational front) |
| Contact / representative | Álvaro Tukano |
| Species | Scientific name | Main use |
|---|---|---|
| Cassava (many varieties) | Manihot esculenta | flour, beiju, flour houses |
| Peppers | Capsicum spp. | food and preservation |
| Copaiba | Copaifera spp. | anti-inflammatory |
| Andiroba | Carapa guianensis | medicinal oil |
| Jambu | Acmella oleracea | anti-inflammatory, cuisine |
The Upper Rio Negro is recognized as a major center of cassava domestication and Indigenous agroforestry innovation. Women hold extensive knowledge of seed preservation, cassava processing and medicinal-plant cultivation.
The Rio Negro basin is famous for its rock art: petroglyphs on rock outcrops along the river and tributaries such as the Içana and the Uaupés, alongside pre-colonial ceramics. Living heritage tied to the origin narratives of the region's peoples.
Technical focus: Cassava, peppers, medicinal plants, flour houses, Indigenous cooperativism and community education.
Safeguards and priorities: Clearly separate the economic component (Cooperíndio) from the educational component (Parintins School); confirm scope and communities.
| Data | Content |
|---|---|
| State | Pará (PA) |
| Area | 2,382,000 ha (~23,820 km²) |
| Status in the project | Phase 1 core + Expanded Network |
| History | Recognized in 2004; Tapajós basin |
| Peoples / ethnicities | Munduruku, Apiaká and isolated peoples of the Upper Tapajós |
| Resident population | ~7,000-10,000 in the IL (Munduruku people ~14,000, ISA) |
| Communities | ~80-110 villages (Cururu river and tributaries) |
| Focal actor(s) | Pusuru Association |
| Contact / representative | To be confirmed (official spelling and representative) |
| Species | Scientific name | Main use |
|---|---|---|
| Cassava | Manihot esculenta | food staple and flour |
| Açaí | Euterpe oleracea | food |
| Brazil nut | Bertholletia excelsa | protein |
| Buriti | Mauritia flexuosa | oil |
| Bacaba | Oenocarpus bacaba | traditional beverage |
| Cupuaçu | Theobroma grandiflorum | fruit |
Food systems strongly connected to fishing and the rivers of the Tapajós, integrating cassava agroforestry, native fruit species and medicinal plants. A territory under heavy pressure from illegal mining and mercury contamination.
The Tapajós basin is among the most archaeologically rich regions of the Amazon: associated with the Tapajônica ceramic culture (Santarém/Konduri) and extensive terra preta sites, evidence of dense, ancient occupation. Heritage of enormous relevance to protect against external pressure.
Technical focus: Cassava, açaí, Brazil nut, buriti, bacaba, cupuaçu, fishing, medicinal plants and territorial defense.
Safeguards and priorities: Confirm formal contact and the official spelling of the Pusuru Association; map risks (mining, mercury) and prioritize restoration and protection areas.
| Data | Content |
|---|---|
| State | Maranhão (MA) |
| Area | 413,000 ha (~4,130 km²) |
| Status in the project | Phase 1 core + Expanded Network |
| History | Demarcated in 1982; designated Indigenous Land in 1996 |
| Peoples / ethnicities | Guajajara, Awá-Guajá and isolated Awá peoples |
| Resident population | more than 10,000 people (2022) |
| Communities | dozens of Guajajara villages |
| Focal actor(s) | Guardians of the Forest Association / Group |
| Contact / representative | To be confirmed (institutional structure and representative) |
| Species | Scientific name | Main use |
|---|---|---|
| Cassava | Manihot esculenta | food staple |
| Maize | Zea mays | food |
| Various native seeds | - | nurseries and restoration |
| Fruit species of the cerrado-forest transition | - | food and gathering |
An island of forest in the cerrado-Amazon transition, with 44.6% dense tropical forest. A territory of active territorial protection by the Guardians of the Forest, vulnerable to invasions and fires - a living barrier against deforestation.
Ceramic and pre-ceramic sites occur in the cerrado-forest transition belt of Maranhão. The focus here is to integrate food, territorial protection and restoration; any material heritage should be mapped only with safety and authorization.
Technical focus: Territorial protection, Guajajara food practices, native seeds, nurseries, restoration, and areas vulnerable to invasions and fires.
Safeguards and priorities: Isolated Awá must be protected and not approached; confirm institutional representation and the safety conditions of the consultation.
| Data | Content |
|---|---|
| State | Rondônia and Mato Grosso (RO/MT) |
| Area | ~248,000 ha (~2,480 km²) |
| Status in the project | Expanded Network (education and replicability front) |
| History | Paiter Suruí Indigenous Land; official contact in 1969 |
| Peoples / ethnicities | Paiter Suruí (Tupi-Mondé linguistic family) |
| Resident population | ~1,400 people (920 in 2002) |
| Communities | ~11-25 villages along the access lines |
| Focal actor(s) | Piter Suruí School |
| Contact / representative | To be confirmed |
| Species | Scientific name | Main use |
|---|---|---|
| Cassava | Manihot esculenta | food staple |
| Maize | Zea mays | food and culture |
| Seeds and species of Paiter food memory | - | educational seed bank |
A front focused on environmental education, food memory, youth and communication. The Paiter Suruí have a pioneering record in forest-carbon projects and territorial governance.
The southwestern Amazon (Rondônia / upper Madeira-Guaporé) is identified by linguists and archaeologists as an area linked to the origin and dispersal of the Tupi language stock, with regional ceramic traditions. A context of great historical depth, to be worked in a pedagogical key.
Technical focus: Environmental education, food memory, young communicators, community archive, seeds and school training.
Safeguards and priorities: Does not enter as a research/collection core until specific validation; begin with a letter of interest and a pedagogical plan.
| Territory | Area (ha) | Population | Communities | Role in the project |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yanomami | 9,664,975 | ~31,000 | ~384 | Food sovereignty and health |
| Vale do Javari | 8,544,480 | ~6,300 | ~48-56 | Knowledge protection and isolated peoples |
| Munduruku | 2,382,000 | ~7-10k | ~80-110 | Seeds, fishing and territorial defense |
| Xingu | 2,642,003 | ~7-8k | ~100+ | Gardens, seeds and governance |
| Arariboia | 413,000 | ~10,000 | dozens | Territorial protection and restoration |
| Balaio | 257,000 | Upper Rio Negro | peri-urban | Cassava, cooperativism and education |
| Sete de Setembro | ~248,000 | ~1,400 | ~11-25 | Education and replicability |
| Network total: ~24.15 million hectares · 65 to 70 thousand people (potential) · more than 650 communities · 7 territories · 10 actors. |
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Sources: FUNAI, SESAI, ISA / Terras Indígenas no Brasil, the 2022 IBGE Census and internal 4rest4all documents. Figures are conservative estimates and should be confirmed territory by territory before external use.