September 9, 2019 Santiago of Chile –The Permanent Secretariat of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (PS/ACTO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations (FAO) announced today that will strengthen its joint work to restore the affected forest fields by the fires in the Amazon Region.
The work that will be carried out will be focused on the restoration of the affected fields by the fires, and in the management, prevention and the control of the agricultural fires.
The FAO and ACTO committed to supporting to the countries in integrating the issue of fire into sustainable forest management practices, strengthening risk reduction and preparing to respond to emergencies safely and quickly.
Likewise, they will work in labor of restoration and resilience to restore the biodiversity loss and livelihoods of the affected communities by the fires.
Protecting the Amazon Biome
Under two months ago the two entitles have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, that renew the institutional framework for the implementation of the dynamic work program.
The both organizations have a long history of joint work, which has been focused on guaranteeing food security and reducing the poverty of vulnerable populations in the Amazon Biome.
The boards have promoted the conservation actions, use of the biodiversity and the natural resources, in addition of the projects of adaptation and mitigation to the climate change.
The eight nations that participate of ACTO (Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela) and FAO have consolidated a system of protected areas in the Amazon, managed in a consistent manner, which today already brings together more than 1500 protected areas that allow biodiversity conservation.
In addition, they have promoted sustainable forest management practices based on international certification criteria for the benefit of the communities that inhabit the territories, including community forest concessions and community forest management.
Through permanent programs of forest and biodiversity monitoring, FAO and ACTO have promoted the conservation of forest resources, promoting research, innovation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
On social issues, ACTO and FAO work with countries to protect indigenous territories and communities, safeguard their traditional knowledge and improve their border health surveillance systems.
Protect the natural and human wealth of the Amazon
FAO and ACTO called on countries to continue protecting the unique wealth of the Amazonian biome, which is not only a source of water, air and natural biodiversity, but is also home for approximately 40 million people, including 420 indigenous peoples who speak 86 languages and 650 idioms, and at least 60 villages live in total isolation.
