Our mission
The Kayapo Project is an Indigenous led NGO alliance ensuring Mebêngôkre-Kayapo (Kayapo) cultural, economic, political, and territorial autonomy over more than nine million hectares of federally demarcated Indigenous lands located in the highly threatened southeastern Amazon.
The Kayapo Project is a flagship program of the International Conservation Fund of Canada (ICFC). ICFC partners with three Kayapo NGOs: the Protected Forest Association, Kabu Institute, and Raoni Institute representing communities of the northeast, northwest and southwest sectors of Kayapo territory.
Our work
Together, our alliance works to DEFEND Kayapo lands and Indigenous rights, to PRESERVE cultural and environmental integrity, and to DISCOVER innovative ways for sustainable economic opportunities and intercultural exchange.
The Kayapo are Guardians of a Living Forest
The Kayapo are an Indigenous group living in the Brazilian States of Mato Grosso and Pará An estimated 12,000 Kayapo live amongst approximately 50 villages across more than 9 million hectares on five federally demarcated Indigenous lands (ISA 2017/2022) (see map). Together Kayapo Lands are comparable to countries like Ireland, South Korea, or the US State of West Virginia. The Kayapo are stewards of the world’s largest Indigenous managed Tropical Forest, home to countless species of plants, animals, insects. Moreover, Kayapo territories sequester an estimated 1.3 billion metric tonnes of carbon dioxide, regulating the planet’s climate.
Kayapo territory is a vast, biodiverse haven stocked with carbon. This land is not just a place, but an integral part of the Kayapo identity. Defending it from external threats like goldminers, loggers, and poachers is a complex endeavor, undertaken through the collaborative efforts of the Kayapo-NGO alliance.
The Kayapo Project seeks to preserve Kayapo culture and territory through the revitalization of culture and practice, translating knowledge to action, and sustainable economic practices.
Discover how you can learn about, with, and from the Kayapo in person or online. The Kayapo Project promotes intercultural communication and engagement between Kayapo communities, their representative NGOs, Brazilian society, and the global community.
Join the Kayapo
Join the Kayapo-NGO alliance and become a vital participant in of one of the most successful conservation stories in history.