Government designates areas for preservation and agrarian reform
MDA has designated 62.5 thousand ha for 806 families in Amazonas, and 81.2 thousand to farmers and also families who live in areas connected with extraction projects in Pará and Maranhão
The Brazilian government has designated federal areas in the states of Acre, Amazonas, Pará, Rondônia, and Maranhão, as part of the Legal Land Program (“Programa Terra Legal”, in the original Portuguese), launched by the Ministry of Agrarian Development (“MDA”). The properties total 3.28 million hectares (ha), of which 86 thousand will be used in agrarian reform, and 3.19 million for the preservation of the environment.
Agrarian Development Minister Miguel Rosseto pointed out that the decision announced on Wednesday (27) contributes to the landholding stability in the area known as Amazônia Legal, and further stated that ownership norms were observed throughout the process of land transference.
“We're regularizing the areas in Amazônia Legal that belong to the Union. After the transference of ownership, the areas will be better taken care of,” the minister remarked, adding that their use in development projects will be more sustainable.
The areas to be used for environmental preservation have been brought under the responsibility of the Ministry of the Environment. Thus, 2.6 million ha will be preserved in Amazonas, 411 thousand in Pará and 12 thousand in Rondônia. In addition, 155 thousand ha were handed over to the state government of Acre, also for the purpose of environmental protection.
As for agrarian reform, MDA has designated 62.5 thousand ha for 806 families in Amazonas, and 81.2 thousand to farmers and also families who live in areas connected with extraction projects in Pará and Maranhão.
The Legal Land Program aims to officialize and set the purpose of federal areas amounting to 55 million ha in Amazônia Legal. Thus far, over 8.8 million ha have been reassigned and 11.168 ownership titles have been given to farmers.
Amazônia Legal is a 5-million-m² area that corresponds to 59% of the Brazilian territory and includes the whole of eight states (Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Mato Grosso, Pará, Rondônia, Roraima and Tocantins), and part of Maranhão.
Translated by Fabrício Ferreira
Fonte: Government designates areas for preservation and agrarian reform
