Founded in 2005, Associação Indígena Kisêdjê (Kisêdjê Indigenous Association) brings together 500 indigenous Kisêdjê people inhabiting the Wawi Indigenous Land of Brazil. Living in one of the world’s most biodiverse areas, the Kisêdjê faced widespread incursions and deforestation that led their culture to be at the brink of collapse. After an extensive campaign to reclaim their territorial rights in the mid-1990s, the group transformed their landscape by planting over 3,000 native pequi trees to restore degraded lands while producing fruit for local food security. In 2011, the association created the Hwĩn Mbê project – ‘Pequi Oil’ project in the Kisêdjê language – which integrates new technologies and traditional methods to sustainably extract over 300 litres of pequi oil every year. Using an innovative entrepreneurial model to connect to local and national markets, the project enables the next generation to sustainably manage their forests, enhance livelihood options, and celebrate indigenous culture.

Key Facts 

Equator Prize Winner: 2019

Founded: 2005

Location: Mato Grosso, Brazil

Biodiversity: Forests

Case study

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