PPA-accelerated businesses help protect 873,000 hectares of forest
PPA Acceleration Program's Impact Report shares first year's results
The Partnership Platform for the Amazon's Acceleration Program has completed the impact assessment of its first year in operation. In 2019, the 15 businesses that were accelerated in the states of Amazonas and Pará benefited from an intensive support package, including workshops, mentoring, advice and management/marketing tools, as well as networking and cooperation opportunities.
Together, these businesses – 67% of which are run by women – created 251 direct jobs, benefiting 110 communities spread over 43 municipalities and 5 states. They also helped protect 873,000 hectares of forest between support to areas with sustainable management, forest restoration and protected areas. These and other details are included in the Acceleration Program's 2019 Impact Report, which provides indicators on socioenvironmental impact; business expansion, management and governance; and financial capacity. The set of 36 indicators was developed by the PPA in collaboration with its partners and entrepreneurs.
“This understanding that we have developed through the Program (on the need for socioenvironmental indicators) has significantly strengthened our business. Although my company already had these concerns at heart, we lacked a set of systematized data to be able to clearly demonstrate our impact,” said Joanna Martins from Manioca.
The Program invested R$ 1.87 million in its accelerated businesses in 2019. In addition, some startups participated in a business round with investors, which raised another R$ 1.1 million. This sum was provided by USAID, Conexsus, NESsT, SITAWI and Denis Minev to Manioca, Ração, Peabiru Produtos da Floresta and Encauchados Vegetais da Amazônia.
The PPA Acceleration Program's differentials include its ability to customize its actions according to the needs of entrepreneurs in the Amazon; its co-creation efforts involving an extensive network of partners; and the quality of the supporters involved.
“The Amazon has great potential for entrepreneurship, but it still lacks innovative models such as the one provided by the Partnership Platform for the Amazon. Thanks to the PPA Program, this potential can now see results. The private sector plays a critical role in initiatives such as this, as well as in the search for mixed financing models to promote regional development while preserving biodiversity,” said Ted Gehr, Director of USAID/Brazil.
Read more about it in the report.
About the PPA
The Partnership Platform for the Amazon (PPA) is an organic collective action platform in constant expansion. It is driven by the private sector and seeks to develop and identify innovative solutions for sustainable development and the conservation of biodiversity, forests and natural resources in the Amazon. It operates through four thematic groups (TGs): (1) Entrepreneurship, sustainable business, and impact investing; (2) Bioeconomy; (3) Amazon Value Chains; and (4) Territorial Management, Conservation and Communities.