The Real Guardians of The Amazon

Monday, 10th August 2026

By Paula Perrelli dos Anjos

To observe the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples yesterday, Amazonia Impact Ventures (AIV) highlights the vital role of Indigenous communities as the primary stewards of the Amazon. 

Drawing on data from the United Nations (UN), the World Bank, and other international bodies, this report examines the critical intersection of Indigenous land rights, biodiversity, and climate finance.

Indigenous Peoples are statistically the world’s most effective forest protectors. Rooted in ancestral knowledge, their territories sequester one‑third of the Amazon’s total carbon stocks. Data from the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)’s paper indicates that between 2003 and 2016, these lands recorded a net carbon loss of just 0.1%—the lowest rate observed across the entire basin.

Despite this environmental leadership, a profound global imbalance persists. While Indigenous Peoples represent less than 6.2% of the global population, they account for at least 18.2% of those living in extreme poverty. Furthermore, although they manage over half of the planet's remaining intact forests, Indigenous communities receive less than 1% of total climate finance.

In 90 countries, approximately 476.6 million Indigenous individuals continue to defend their territories and cultural identities, often facing systemic marginalisation and rights violations. Their traditional food systems remain remarkably resilient and self-sufficient, providing between 50% and 80% of their essential resources.

AIV is committed to addressing the capital gaps that undermine these vital economies. Currently, 32% of our impact-linked finance is directed toward Indigenous enterprises, with seven of our portfolio partners working with a farmer base that is over 80% Indigenous. We specialise in providing impact finance, tailored to the need of community-led enterprises and effective partnership where traditional lenders often fail to engage.

A notable example of Indigenous resilience is the Amazonia Chakra, designated as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) by the FAO in 2023. In Ecuador, this traditional agroforestry model utilizes rotational plots to cultivate diverse medicinal and forest species, demonstrating how indigenous knowledge maintains soil fertility and climate resilience through seasonal harmony.

Beyond direct financing, AIV facilitates market access through initiatives supported by the UK government such as UK PACT and foundations like the Wyss Academy for Nature. These collaborations strengthen trade pathways, ensuring that economic value remains within the communities serving as the front line of forest conservation.

Last week, the Pollination Foundation published a case story featuring AIV’s approach, recognising the leadership of Indigenous Peoples and local communities across our portfolio. The study highlights how our model aligns finance with their governance systems, crop cycles and land‑use rights — reinforcing that Indigenous organisations are not only central to forest‑positive value chains, but essential partners in shaping long‑term stewardship of the Amazon. 

Key facts

• 32% of AIV’s impact‑linked finance is deployed to Indigenous enterprises;

• 7 AIV partners have more than 80% Indigenous farmers;

• 2.7 million Amazonian Indigenous Peoples across 350 ethnic groups, including 60 in voluntary isolation.

Proud Initiatives

The Equator Prize reflects a broader truth we see every day in our work: since 2002, UNDP's Equator Initiative has recognised hundreds of community-based organisations worldwide for proving that environmental stewardship and economic development can grow together. It's the kind of recognition that reinforces what AIV already believes: Indigenous-led, nature-based models shouldn’t be the exception.

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