We are approaching a global crisis on many interconnected levels. One of the most pressing issues is our inability to produce sufficient food for this planet’s rapidly expanding population while clinging to unsustainable farming practices that no longer meet our needs. Current animal husbandry practices are especially problematic: livestock produce 14.5% of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions (Quinton) and is one of ...
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What do you think of always donating to the programs Forests for Water and Ecoleaders without even having to remove a cent from your pocket?
You must be curious now, after all,who doesn’t like to help an organization that dedicates itself to restore the most important areas for environmental conservation as well as to empower the community?
I believe that the majority would always like to help, but we know this isn’t always viable, especially for the ones who have young children, ...
Continue Reading →The practices of sustainable agriculture, recently established in Iracambi, have been developing in an espetacular way, indicating future success.
In three months of work, the demonstrative units of low environmental impact agro-productions are gaining the right format as well as being solidified as an example of generation of income for family agriculture.
Production of High Quality Agro-ecological Coffee
Coffee is the most common income generating crop for rural families in Brazil. Because such practice develops well in higher altitudes, the region we are ...
Continue Reading →A lot has been going on here at Iracambi recently!
Let me tell you the story!
For some time we have been dreaming of an agroecology project in Iracambi and here is a little bit of the background. About our new project of working with native bees, and about better ways of working with our vegetable garden!
One of our first ideas is to explore working with native bees. So we partnered with with ...
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Life or death?
Justice or injustice?
Forests or degradation?
You must be wondering why I’m asking these questions.
After our adventures in the delivering of seedlings, on Tuesday, February 13, we went to the home of Lourdes Calais, our veritable second mother and one of our families benefited by the Forests for Water project, to plant 200 native tree seedlings and fruit trees!
It was a day of getting our hands dirty, literally! As always, we were ...
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We had trodden the pavements of the big cities of South America – Buenos Aires, Montevideo and Rio – but now we were surrounded by vibrant green (every shade) and noises of bugs, birds and frogs.
Virgilio was the first of the colourful collection of Iracambi staff that we met, and he gave a warm welcome and fresh coffee. He is a font of knowledge and provided us with an understanding of the great work that happens at Iracambi. We had ...
Continue Reading →Leading South America travel agent, RealWorld Holidays are pleased to announce that it will be supporting Iracambi in 2018, in the form of a monetary donation.
Iracambi works closely with the community of the Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil, Dan Clarke from RealWorld Holidays said:
“We couldn’t be any prouder to support such a worthwhile charity and one so close to our heart”
Robin Le Breton, Research Director and Public Policy Advisor of Iracambi said:
“It is wonderful to know ...
An old, rattling school bus filled with giggling and shouting young kids, climbing over the chairs and staring at the stranger that is suddenly travelling along with them on the daily ride from Limeira to their farms in the hills: the contrast with the research centre in the peaceful forest might seem big, but either way, the Iracambi adventure has begun.
I´ve been staying here at the research centre for the last 3 weeks as a start of my 6 months ...
Continue Reading →Amigos de Iracambi, (Iracambi), is a Brazilian and US registered non-profit organization that brings people together from across the world to conserve the resources of Brazil’s beautiful Atlantic rainforest while enhancing local livelihoods. Iracambi operates from its headquarters the Iracambi Conservation and Research Center, located in the forested mountains of Minas Gerais, five hours north of Rio de Janeiro.
Founded in 1999, this dynamic, successful, and globally connected organization is in transition from founder run status to a self-sustaining model. The ...
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You cross a stream and head upwards along a dirt road, the cicadas keeping you company. But should you try to approach them, they clam up.
Leading from the dirt road there is a track through tall grass, and a bit further up is Sr Olavo’s place. He sits outside his small, humble dwelling. Sr Olavo has a beaming white smile that glitters with many carefully-positioned gold fragments. He and Dona Maria, his ...
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