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Home » Regions » South America

South America

Home to the Amazon, the World’s Largest Forest

Photo credit: Mohsin Kazmi

What's at Stake

Spanning nine South American countries and 7 million sq km (2.7 million square miles), the Amazon is the world’s largest forest and is home to more than 120 indigenous groups and one in 10 known species. One-fifth of all freshwater on the planet originates in the Amazon Basin. Unparalleled in its biodiversity, the Amazon is also critical to global climate stability.

DEFORESTATION IN THE AMAZON

Humans have razed some 20 percent of the Amazon rainforest over the last 40 years alone, and an additional 20 percent is at risk of being destroyed—a potentially catastrophic loss that would cause this vital ecosystem to unravel. Read our response to the forest fire crisis in the Amazon.

Our Impact


The most important impact of our work in high-risk regions of the Amazon—self-determination—is not quantifiable. However, we continually gauge the success of our approach by measuring both ecosystem health and the economic and social well-being of our partner communities.

A sustainable, thriving forest economy

USD $31 million

in Brazil nuts exported from Madre de Dios, Peru

After working with the Rainforest Alliance for four years, communities in the Madre de Dios region of the Peruvian Amazon exported more than 4,000 metric tons of shelled Brazil nuts, representing a value of nearly US $31 million. Read the study

Our reach in South America

18 million acres

under sustainable management in South America

We’re working with forest communities, farmers, governments, and companies to conserve the Amazon Basin and protect its precious biodiversity. Together with our partners, we’ve brought 18 million acres (7.3 million hectares) under sustainable management.

This number includes Rainforest Alliance Certified agricultural land and FSC certified forest land, including land certified by our Brazilian partner, Imaflora. Data accurate as of March 21, 2018.

Our Work


Stopping deforestation in the Amazon requires bold, multi-faceted strategies that center indigenous forest communities and support their self-determination. This approach characterizes our work in the Amazon, where we work with a wide range of communities and partners to cultivate a sustainable forest economy.

Article

A Healthy Planet Requires a Healthy Amazon

Our Latin America director explains the implications of this year’s Amazon fires.... Continue Reading
Learn More
Article

The Rainforest Alliance's Work in Peru

Peru: Where indigenous knowledge, climate science, and global markets meet.... Continue Reading
Learn More
Article

A Call to Action To Save the Amazon Rainforest

Together with our allies, we have drafted a call to action to save the world’s largest and most important rainforest.... Continue Reading
Learn More
Article

Restoring an Ecosystem on a Peruvian Coffee Farm

A family transformed their coffee farm into a resilient landscape—and improved their income.... Continue Reading
Learn More

All resources for South America


Filter by:
The secret to successful landscape management lies in the local communities
Article

Thriving Communities, Healthy Landscapes

We're helping more than two million farmers embrace more sustainable growing practices that can help build resilience to climate change and boost yields.

Published on November 29, 2022

Article

The Science of Sustainability: Researchers Supporting Forest Communities in Latin America

Meet three of the scientists whose work we have supported through the Kleinhans Fellowship for Community Forestry Research.

Published on June 17, 2022

Article

Rainforest Alliance Certified Cocoa

We work with almost one million cocoa farmers to build thriving livelihoods and climate resilience through certification and training.

Published on March 21, 2022

Project Profile

Project Profile: Improving Livelihoods of Farmers and Workers Across the Fruit Sector in Latin America

This project will provide training and engagement to at least 37,093 workers in the avocado and berry (strawberry and raspberry) sectors in Mexico and the banana and pineapple sectors in Costa Rica.

Published on February 25, 2022

Coffee plantation with shade
Article

Our Work to Prevent Child Labor on Guatemalan Coffee Farms

For the Rainforest Alliance’s Claudia Medrano, preventing child labor in Guatemala’s coffee landscapes is personal

Published on February 16, 2022 | by Claudia Medrano, Rainforest Alliance senior manager for standards and assurance in Latin America

Project Profile

Project Profile: Driving Improvement in the Banana Sector

This project is promoting best practices in the banana value chain in Guatemala and Ecuador.

Published on February 10, 2022

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The Rainforest Alliance is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit registered in the US under EIN: 13-3377893.

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In 2021, 77% of our income supported sustainability programs. Learn More »

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