Founded in 1998 by Brazilian NGOs, the Federal University of Pará, and international donors, and in partnership with private sector companies, Bolsa Amazônia is a regional initiative dedicated to developing sustainable enterprises in rural forest communities of Amazonia. With a focus on sustainable agriculture and agro-industrialization, Bolsa Amazônia assesses market demand for locally-produced goods such as banana flour, frozen fruit pulp, honey, oils, and hand-made paper and handicrafts. By linking producers and buyers directly through an online marketing system, the initiative guarantees a fairer price for forest-based communities and empowers local actors to build sustainable enterprises.

Building from its successes in Pará, Bolsa Amazonia now has representative offices in Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, and Venezuela, as well as in four Brazilian States (Pará, Amapá, Rondônia and Acre).

 

Key Facts 

Equator Prize Winner: 2002

Founded: 1998

Location: Amazonian region of South America

Beneficiaries: Forest-dependent communities

Biodiversity: The Amazon rainforest

 

Case Study

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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