Ingá Kicks Off Capacity Building for Local Development Agents

October / November, 2022 — Ingá launched its first training promoting sustainable initiatives that benefit communities in Juruti, Pará for development practitioners in September. 

Three trainings were delivered to local leaders and civil servants engaged in environmental conservation. Collaboration with key local actors to strengthen human potential at the Prudente Monte Sinai and Curumucuri State Agroextractive Settlement Projects; the Jará Environmental Protection Area; and the Municipal Secretariat for the Environment was an important goal.

“The training of local development practitioners will empower leaders and civil servants to jointly discuss low-impact sustainable development solutions for these communities, including the recovery of degraded areas, rivers, lakes, and forests. Working together with the Sustainable Juruti Institute, which is responsible for producing result indicators, our ‘graduates’ will contribute to this monitoring,” said Marcelo Alves, socioenvironmental analyst at the Brazilian Education Institute (IEB).

“Ingá - Sustainability and Management Indicators in the Amazon” is a project coordinated by the Sustainable Juruti Institute (IJUS), with investments from USAID/Brazil, the Partnership Platform for the Amazon (PPA), Alcoa, and the Alcoa Institute. In addition to the IEB, it works in partnership with the Vitória Régia Institute (IVR) and the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT. 

The project provides support to develop human capital locally to foster autonomous territorial management and leadership, protection and conservation of native forests, restoration of degraded areas, entrepreneurship, and the structuring of the Juruti Sustainable Development Indicators Observatory. 

During the training, the group used participatory tools to develop community infrastructure solutions, good practices for territorial governance, and provided networking opportunities. Participants were encouraged to discuss sustainable actions for their regions, focusing on low environmental impact and  recovery.

“I hope to continue helping my community, working and sharing what I learn with my them, and helping them understand the importance of the project,” said Eniton dos Santos from the Alto Alegre community, who attended the program at the Curumucuri State Agroextractive Settlement Project.

These leaders and professionals will contribute to the Juruti Indicators Observatory, one of the  most important final products of the Ingá project. Indicator matrices will be designed for annual data collection. These matrices will serve as a guide to assess progress against the indicators, and to influence decision-making for future projects and public policies in Juruti.

For more information about Ingá, visit the IJUS website and the PPA website.