Deforestation and Loss of Knowledge

More than 60% of the forests in the Amazon are located on public land. These lands, which mostly belonged to indigenous peoples and are still inhabited by them, are now the target of criminal organizations that seize these areas without regard for the preservation of the natural heritage. The actions of the so-called land grabbers are responsible for a significant portion of deforestation in the Amazon and create an environment of violence and corruption. Although the impacts of deforestation in the Amazon Basin and the consequences of the associated environmental pollution have been in the public consciousness since the 1970s, currently, in the Brazilian Amazon, an area of forest the size of three football fields disappears every minute (“Boletim INFOQUEIMA do INPE, May 2022”).

With the deforestation, not only the trees disappear, but also the indigenous communities and their knowledge. Thus, we lose a valuable knowledge system that dates back thousands of years, along with the associated cultures, beliefs, conservation methods, uses of medicinal plants, experiences with edible plants such as manioc, and much more.

The inhabitants of Manaus suffer directly from the consequences of this predatory economy, as will be further explained.