In the first edition of our newsletter in 2025, we invite you to look back on the highlights of 2024 and to anticipate the future with optimism, reflecting on the challenges and opportunities that are on our horizon.
In 2024, our 15th anniversary event, called “Sowing Futures,” celebrated and reaffirmed Fundo Vale’s role as a catalyst for sustainable change. During the event, held at the Portuguese Language Museum in São Paulo, we enthusiastically reflected on our main results and, together with partners and collaborators, discussed key topics for us to move forward, enabling new plantings and new harvests.
In this first edition of our newsletter of the year, we’re going to revisit some important moments and advances that took place in 2024. Before that, we want to share a brief summary of the fruits generated by the dialogues held, which strengthened our purpose of working with partners and communities to build paths that integrate economic development, social justice and environmental recovery.
What role does Fundo Vale play in the impact ecosystem?
According to the group that took part in this dialogue, Fundo Vale plays an essential role as a catalyst for an ecosystem of socioeconomic, environmental and territorial transformation, prioritizing innovative projects and impact businesses.
Its actions are based on trust, boldness and strategic collaboration with partners, acting as an accelerator for sustainable initiatives. Through the provision of resources, sensitivity to local realities and incentives for sustainable production systems and the socio-bioeconomy, Fundo Vale supports initiatives ranging from habitat restoration to the strengthening of cooperatives and community organizations. It also supports research and technological development, strengthens innovative financial mechanisms and fosters solutions such as carbon credits and seed capital, directly impacting production chains and promoting scalable and sustainable businesses.
Challenges and solutions
The group also identified structural and operational challenges that impact the social and environmental transformation ecosystem. The shortage of skilled labor, especially in areas such as sustainable management and business dynamics, is a significant obstacle, aggravated by the lack of robust domestic funding and the need to unblock processes and documentation, especially in northern Brazil, where land tenure reform is still a critical bottleneck. Read on to learn about other points that were raised.
Bioeconomy
With respect to the bioeconomy, there is still resistance to taking on the risks inherent to local projects, despite growing interest in their positive impacts. Another challenge is the difficulty of integrating technology and innovative management, which is still limited by economic barriers and a lack of foresight, while mature solutions are slow to come into practice due to a focus on the short term and a lack of effective implementation. The impact ecosystem also faces the pressure to act in a context in which time for solutions is increasingly scarce, with intense discussions but little materialization in practical actions over the last few decades.
Research and development
The group also identified the challenge of driving innovation to guide research and development in new businesses centered on nature-based solutions. The creation of a knowledge platform is essential for managing innovation, systematizing knowledge and sharing lessons learned. This platform should integrate best practices and R&D results, ensuring that they are applied effectively in projects.
Proof of concept is a crucial stage for validating new ideas and technologies before they are implemented on a large scale. However, care must be taken when applying R&D best practices to ensure that the solutions developed are sustainable, scalable and adaptable to local conditions. Systematizing knowledge and managing innovation are vital tools for turning insights into concrete and effective actions.
Deforestation and habitat restoration
In this area, the possible paths include tree planting and natural regeneration, both of which face significant challenges in achieving the scale required. Recovering organic matter is a vital strategy, but the main challenge remains halting deforestation in the Amazon, which is occurring at a much faster rate than recovery capacity. To reduce deforestation, actions such as the “Arc of Fire,” which involves using the Armed Forces and police forces, are important. It is necessary to convince producers to register with the Rural Environmental Database and to help structure municipal environmental secretariats.
Future horizon
According to the second group, in order to keep the ecosystem of partner organizations at the forefront of the transformation to a more sustainable, fair and inclusive economy, it is essential to strengthen the existing structure without losing the main focus. Here are some reflections from this dialogue.
Impact funds
One of the main challenges is impact funds’ distance from strategic discussions. To overcome this, it is essential to build bridges between stakeholders, involving them more directly in decision-making and execution processes. Strengthening collaborative networks can enable greater synergy between capital and impact.
Development of sustainable suppliers
It is essential to encourage more sustainable practices among suppliers, promoting the adoption of innovative solutions that contribute to economic and environmental transformation. This includes the study of strategies to integrate sustainability into production chains and increase positive impact on the business ecosystem.
Broadening Amazon views
We need to expand our activities to include the “Five Amazons,” paying attention to urban areas and the specific demands of cities. This approach should prioritize the urban bioeconomy, encouraging local businesses and meeting the needs of entrepreneurs, promoting synergies between sustainable solutions and economic development.
Monetization of assets and diversification of models
Assets such as carbon buy-back by partners are not yet being monetized efficiently. The solution lies in the integration of strategies that go beyond carbon credits, with the diversification of business models based on nature-based solutions, creating opportunities to harness environmental services.
Research and transversality of knowledge
The transversality of knowledge is crucial to eliminating segmentation between areas of activity. The lessons learned from Fundo Vale initiatives can serve as inspiration and contribute to positively influencing other partner organizations, promoting an integrated and innovative ecosystem.
Prototyping and active participation in forums
Prototyping forest goals is an important example of how to open up new paths for sustainable development. Active participation in discussion forums and collaborative networks is essential for strengthening dialogue, sharing lessons learned and positively influencing the market.
Year of the “Forest COP”
We begin 2025 with renewed energy, especially in the run-up to COP 30 in Brazil, which is putting the Amazon at the center of global climate discussions. This event goes beyond a simple conference; it is an invitation for collective action to build a future that harmonizes economic growth, social equity and environmental protection. Fundo Vale is already preparing to actively contribute ideas, partnerships and the expansion of positive impact initiatives, demonstrating its commitment to sustainability and the restoration of ecosystems.
COP 30 offers a unique opportunity to strengthen multisectoral partnerships in tackling the Amazon’s climate and socioeconomic challenges. Governments must lead with effective public policies, while companies and investors leverage resources and positive impact businesses. Civil society organizations must act as voices for local communities and catalysts for solutions.
This synergy is essential to create an environment of collaboration and trust, in which sustainable initiatives can thrive. Together, we can boost the socio-bioeconomy, combining ancestral knowledge and technological innovations, supported by investments and public policies, to position Brazil as a leader in the transition to a low-carbon economy.