Flood-planes' Natural Resources (ProVárzea)

Project BRA/00/008 -- Start Year: 2000; Approved Budget: US$ 880,000; End Year: 2002; Implementing Agent: NEX (National Execution Related Projects); Executing Agent: IBAMA – Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources..

Project background and rationale:The flood-planes (Várzea) are located along the main margins of the river Solimoes-Amazon (3,500 km of extension) and are one of the richest ecosystems of the Amazonian basin in terms of biologic productivity and natural resources. However, this area is now experiencing rapid degradation due to the low income value of its products, to the absence of an efficient management system of its natural resources and to the inexistence of a specific strategic policy aimed at the preservation of the flood-planes' ecosystem. This project is addressed specifically at the flood-planes' areas and is part of a broader policy developed by the Brazilian Government aimed at the improvement of the quality of life of the population living in the Amazon through sustainable economic growth, the full exploitation of the natural and cultural potentialities of the area and the internalization and better distribution of income.

Project development goal: This project's goal is to establish a technical and scientific basis for the elaboration of public policies aimed at the conservation and management of the flood-planes' natural resources of the central region of the Amazonian basin, with particular emphasis on fisheries products.

Project immediate objectives and expected outputs: The strategy pursued by this project consists mainly in the development of pilot experiences aimed at contributing to the training of the different segments involved in the economic activities of the flood-planes, and can be divided in four components:

1. To sustain the formulation of public policies and to provide information necessary to the development of management, monitoring and control systempromote broader participation of the society in the formulation of Brazilian foreign policy, with increased projection of the country's national interests; and

2. To propitiate the development of innovative and sustainable management systems of the natural resources; n this initial stage, to provide CEBRI with the infra-structure, organizational and planning instruments necessary for the performance of its institutional mission.

3. To develop, test and implement an integrated pilot system of monitoring and control of the use of the natural resources of the flood-lands in two pilot areas in order to produce and promote knowledge that can be used for the management of the natural resources of the flood-lands.

4. To ensure technical and administrative capacity for the execution and evaluation of the project.

Contact details: Projeto ProVárzea - MMA/IBAMA/PPG7 Rua Ministro João Gonçalves de Souza, s/nº, Distrito Industrial, 69.075-830 Manaus, AM Brazil