The legacy of Mariano Cenamo |
He arrived at our meetings carrying an entire forest in his heart. Born in São Paulo but Amazonian by choice, he devoted much of his life to listening to riverside, rural, Quilombola and Indigenous communities, as well as investors, companies and market players. He tirelessly sought ideas to prove that the numbers add up—that keeping the forest standing creates much greater value.
In 2004, he founded the Amazon Conservation and Sustainable Development Institute (Idesam), which would become one of our key partners years later. Today, the institute is recognized as among the most credible, transparent and innovative organizations working to protect the Amazon. Through exemplary work, it combines environmental conservation with economic development, while never losing sight of the importance of valuing the forest’s inhabitants.
Our partnership began in southern Amazonas in 2012. There, we supported Idesam in building the value chain for Apuí, the first agroforestry coffee produced in the Amazon. This coffee is gn is gn in the shade of the forest canopy, making the product full-bodied, with balanced acidity and a flavor that only those who know it can truly appreciate. The income goes to the families who care for the forest.
Mariano used to say there was no shortage of good projects to keep the forest standing—what was missing were people willing to adapt market expectations to the pace of the Amazon, rather than the other way around. In 2016, during the Sustainable Businesses in the Amazon workshops organized by Fundo Vale, which brought together socioenvironmental organizations with what was then the emerging ecosystem of social finance and impact entrepreneurship, he was challenged to create something similar to what was already taking shape in southeastern Brazil, but for the Amazon.
In 2018, we joined forces with Idesam and Impact Hub Manaus to support the Amazon Impact Investing and Sustainable Business Festival (FIINSA), a cross-sector event that shows Brazil’s financial community that investing in positive social and environmental impact is an excellent business opportunity. Four editions have since been held. The most recent, a smaller-scale edition, brought together 400 participants—a remarkable achievement, considering that it took place during COP30, when Belém was bustling with events alongside the UN conference.
In 2021, we worked together to establish the Amazon Impact Accelerator (AMAZ), the first accelerator backed by a R$25 million blended finance fund dedicated to businesses in the Amazon. Its first call for proposals attracted more than 400 applicants, and 16 ventures were selected for support. Through a strategy that combines management support, market access and tailored mentoring, AMAZ has become a leader in accelerating impact businesses. More recently, we also began supporting the Zôma investment platform, building on the lessons learned through AMAZ.
Mariano left us on the night of July 10 after fighting for his life with extraordinary courage. His legacy extends beyond the more than 10 million hectares of forest he helped protect. He leaves us with a living agenda and a network that learned to speak the language of the market without losing its own voice. Above all, he leaves us with the understanding that the Amazon is protected through the wisdom of traditional peoples, strengthened social and biological diversity value chains, people who know how to respect the forest and patient capital.
This edition of our newsletter, like every one before it and every one still to come, is shaped by the lessons he left us.
Thank you for everything, dear friend.
The Fundo Vale team |
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Second Amazon Climate Week |
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Sponsored by Vale and Hydro, supported by Banco da Amazônia, organized by Numerik and cohosted by more than 30 social, private and government institutions, the program connected COP30’s diplomatic commitments with practical solutions across the region |
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Extractive communities gain greater financial independence in Amazon reserves
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Social and biodiversity value chains are gaining momentum in the Amazon through the Sustenta.Bio program, supported by ICMBio and Fundo Vale. Led by Operation Native Amazon, this initiative has strengthened the governance of local associations in extractive reserves, boosted working capital in the Brazil nut value chain by 76% and increased sales sixfold |
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Including Together campaign
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People with disabilities and reduced mobility living in the Rio Gregório Extractive Reserve in Amazonas receive assistive devices acquired through a volunteer fundraising campaign amplified by Vale |
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New milestone for agroforestry sector
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Belterra Agroflorestas completes its first cocoa harvest in an agroforestry system in Rondônia. As part of Vale’s 2030 Forest Goal and in partnership with local family farmers, sustainable production in the Amazon yielded 1 metric ton of cocoa in just two years |
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Co-Lead, Ashoka AI Lab
Narratives Lever Lead, AI for Impact Journey |
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1. How did the AI for Impact Journey come about? |
The journey was a collaborative initiative that brought together 70 leaders from across Brazil for seven sessions facilitated by SenseLab, to discuss how artificial intelligence can help address complex social and environmental challenges. From the outset, it was clear that it was essential to include voices from different sectors in the conversation, spanning philanthropy, academia and government, with civil society organizations specializing in positive impact playing a central role. The sessions led to the formation of a community of leaders committed to the ethical, responsible and transparent adoption of AI while respecting autonomy, inclusion and diversity.
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They brought real-world examples of how AI and digital technology are being put into practice, offering data and perspectives on both successes and challenges. At a time when we need to drive transformation on a national scale, examples from organizations with a strong presence in communities and a positive impact on social and environmental challenges are crucial to guide our path forward. They also demonstrate that inclusive approaches exist and that communities are not passive actors in this process.
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3. What was the main outcome of the initiative’s first cycle and what are the next steps? |
We created the Journey Brain, a resource curated by the community of leaders that draws primarily on Brazilian resources to support the use of AI in the impact ecosystem. The next steps are to implement the prototypes and launch a national coalition organized around four pillars: Narratives and Connection, Literacy and Capacity Building, Governance and Regulation, and Infrastructure and Sovereignty. For now, we invite everyone to explore our recommendations for guiding practices that can create the conditions for the strategic use of AI in the sector without leaving anyone behind, as well as the final report from this first stage.
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The launch of the study “Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives for Developing Impact Ecosystems” brought together leaders, investors and managers to explore how collaborative networks make a difference in developing social and environmental solutions.
Carried out by Sense-Lab with support from partner organizations, the study captures key lessons from 17 real-world cases and presents tools to foster the development of impact ecosystems. In the video below, Andreas Ufer of Sense-Lab, Fernanda Bombardi of the Institute for Business Citizenship (ICE) and Liz Lacerda of Fundo Vale discuss the importance of the study in deepening understanding of how networks, coalitions and multi-stakeholder initiatives operate in practice.
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The Leading Role of Brazilian Forests in the Global Climate Agenda |
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The second edition of the study “The Leading Role of Brazilian Forests in the Global Climate Agenda” presents analyses and recommendations highlighting the integration of forest restoration and agricultural production as a pathway to low-carbon development, generating climate, productivity and economic benefits.
Produced by a coalition comprising the Arapyaú Institute, the Itaúsa Institute, Agroicone, the Brazilian Planted Forests Association (Ibá), the Institute for Climate and Society (iCS), Imazon, Amazônia 2030, the Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS) and the Cooperation for the Amazon movement, the second edition of the study expands its analysis to all of Brazil’s terrestrial biomes. It also notes that forests cover 61% of the country’s land area, underscoring the importance of strengthening public policies, investments and financing mechanisms that can boost the standing forest economy.
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Did you like the new format of Fundo Vale’s newsletter? |
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Fundo Vale’s priority is to ensure the protection and privacy of our data, so we have reinforced our commitments regarding the collection, storage, treatment and sharing of our personal data, in accordance with Brazil’s General Data Protection Law. |
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