Not soy, but music in the Brazilian Pantanal!
The Pantanal, in the heart of South America, at the border of Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay, is the world’s largest freshwater wetland with an extremely rich biodiversity. Tourism and fishing are the main sources of income for the local population. This enormous natural area is invaluable for the water management of a large part of the continent, stretching all the way down to the Argentinian La Plata area, some 1,500 kilometres away. The area faces many threats and Both ENDS therefore already started actively supporting local organisations striving to protect the Pantanal in 1994.
The largest threat to the Pantanal is the construction of over 150 small dams in the rivers that feed the wetland. These dams are used to produce energy and thus are a lucrative investment. This energy is not meant for the local population, but for the big cities in the rest of the country. Besides these dams, the increasing production of soy in and around the area poses a serious threat. For cheap and fast transportation in large container ships of soy and other commodities meant for export, the dredging and canalisation of the Paraguay-Parana River is high on the agenda. This will not only make it more attractive to grow soy, but will also increase the importance of animal husbandry and mining in the area. So big economic interests are at play here. Under pressure of the agricultural, mining and energy sectors as well as investors, current legislation, offering some protection at least, is being liberalised. Furthermore, mandatory environmental studies are not or insufficiently conducted.
Local organisations participate
Through the Ecosystem Alliance (a collaboration with IUCN NL and Wetlands International), Both ENDS over the past four years has been able to offer even stronger support to local organisations in the Pantanal. In these four years, these organisations have closely worked with the people living in the Pantanal – fishermen, small producers, native groups, teachers and their pupils – to raise their awareness of the area’s value and the threats it is faced with. These local organisations, often founded by locals, now take part in policy discussions and planning processes to prevent future damage. A huge challenge in view of the enormous power of the agricultural, mining and energy sectors actually promoting these harmful developments in the Pantanal.
Pantanal Poetica
So our local partners can use all the support they can get. Especially when it comes to publicity, to make people aware of the disastrous developments in the Pantanal. Because music is an important way to share knowledge in South America, Ecosystems Alliance and its partners invited musicians form Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia to be part of the Pantanal Poetica. During a boat trip from Corumba to Serra do Amolar on the River Paraguay; these musicians composed new songs, inspired by their surroundings. The musicians and representatives of local organisations were not the only ones to take this trip: the marine placed one of its ships at the project’s disposal, including 48 crewmembers, and the mayor of Corumba joined in as well. Scientists also took part in this project to share their knowledge in the discussions. The musicians performed their songs at several locations along the river. Their concert in Corumba was even filmed so the rest of the world could enjoy it as well. Local Brazilian media reported about this musical boat trip, both the newspapers and the local television station. To top things off, a documentary is being made about this inspirational expedition: a great way to bring more attention to the Pantanal!
Soy-free zone
In the years to come, Both ENDS will keep supporting local organisations in the Pantanal. We are especially worried about the expansion of soy production in this fragile area. For the production of soybeans many pesticides are used, which leach directly into the water. This wreaks havoc on fish stocks, public health and local tourism. There is a big, global discussion going on about the impact of soy production on people and their living environment. This discussion is often limited to the prevention of deforestation. But a fragile and vital area such as the Pantanal is absolutely unsuitable for the cultivation of soybeans as well. This is something producers, importers, processors, supermarkets and consumers should easily agree upon. In the coming years, we will work extra hard to let all of them know a soy-free zone is what’s best for the precious Pantanal area.
Also see our joint publication: The whole Pantanal, not just the half (December 2014)
For more information
Read more about this subject
-
Dossier /
Soy: trade in deforestation
The rising demand for soy is having negative consequences for people and the environment in South America. Both ENDS reminds Dutch actors in the soy industry of their responsibilities and is working with partners on fair and sustainable alternatives.
-
Dossier /
Large-scale infrastructure
Large-scale infrastructural projects have detrimental effects on local people and the environment, while their benefits are felt elsewhere. Both ENDS is working to ensure that local people have a greater say in decision-making and is investigating the way these projects are funded.
-
News / 16 augustus 2016
Art as a powerful messenger: music from the Pantanal
10 songs: that is the result of a 4 day long, 450 km boat trip through the Pantanal with 36 people. The project Pantanal Poética sought and found a new way to look at the Pantanal, a valuable but threatened nature reserve on the border of Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay.
-
News / 13 april 2015
The Pantanal, the world’s largest waterland, is under serious threat
For several decades, Both ENDS has been closely following the developments in this large water area in the centre of South America. We work closely with organisations which aim to ensure that the local population knows about these developments and, if necessary, protect it from these changes. But why is this area both so special and important for the whole of South America? And what exactly is threatening this area? C. Cornell Evers, independent photographer and writer, spoke with Tamara Mohr of Both ENDS and Sander van Andel of IUCN to find answers. The result of this meeting is an interesting interview.
-
Publication / 5 december 2012
-
News / 12 oktober 2018
The Soy Coalition ended, but the work must and will go on!
After 15 years, the members of the Dutch Soy Coalition have decided to disband the coalition. A total of 16 civil society organisations have worked together for many years to put the negative impact of the production, transport, processing and consumption of soy on the agenda and to seek solutions together with other stakeholders.
-
News / 26 september 2018
Temporary ban on new hydro dams in the Brazilian Pantanal
Good news from Brazil! The National Water Agency (ANA) has stopped issuing new permits for the construction of hydroelectric dams in the Brazilian Paraguay river basin, which is part of the Pantanal wetlands in South-America. The suspension will last at least until May 2020, after the publication of a comprehensive socio-economic and environmental impact assessment that the ANA started in 2016.
-
News / 15 november 2018
All Eyes on the Amazon: the future of protecting forests in Brazil
On Wednesday, November 14, Dutch Newspaper De Volkskrant published a joint op-ed by Both ENDS, Hivos, Greenpeace Netherlands and Witness about the deforestation in the Amazon region which is still going on rapidly, having disastrous consequences for the indigenous people who live in the area, for biodiversity and for the climate. The Netherlands is one of the largest buyers of Brazilian agricultural products such as soy and beef, and should ensure that deforestation, land grabbing and human rights violations do not occur in these production chains. Unfortunately, this is not at all the case yet.
-
News / 2 juli 2019
‘Like Fish on Land’: testimonies from people in Uganda and Laos after being displaced
In the Nam Ou river in Northern Laos, seven dams are built by a Chinese company. All over the world one can see the same picture when it comes to hydropower projects: it has devastating impacts on the people living in or around the area where they are being built, primarily because they are being displaced. It seems that displacement of communities is still accepted as the unavoidable collateral damage of infrastructure projects. This reveals a highly unacceptable attitude towards poor communities in whose name development is proceeding. In Laos, our Laotian partner visited communities along the river to talk with people about their life after displacement:
-
Publication / 29 mei 2019
-
Dossier /
Wetlands without Borders
With our Wetlands without Borders program, we work towards environmentally sustainable and socially responsible governance of the wetlands system of the La Plata Basin in South America.
-
Blog / 2 februari 2022
On World Wetlands Day communities throughout the La Plata Basin are asking for support in their fight for their endangered wetland ecosystems
By Eva SchmitzThe new year has barely begun but already record high summer temperatures are being reported in parts of South America, especially Argentina, Paraguay and Southern Brazil. The latest heatwave, with temperatures of up to 45C, arrives on top of two years of severe drought which had a devastating effect on the entire region. It is a painful reminder of the immediacy of climate change and emblematic for what happens when vital ecosystems are not protected and for the catastrophic consequences as much on already endangered wildlife as on the local communities who depend on them for their livelihoods. One of the most affected areas are the regions wetlands – unique ecosystems, which are crucial ecological pressure points, vital for the regulation of river systems and huge carbon sinks. Their loss not only has ecological impacts but affects thousands of local communities which depend on their health for fishing, tourism and local agriculture. The threat to them by for example droughts and fires, can be directly linked to the large-scale production of soy, produced mainly for export. This in turn means responsibility for what is happening in the region needs to be acknowledged and shared by leaders around the world, and especially large importers such as the Netherlands.
-
Publication / 12 oktober 2018
-
Publication / 2 december 2014
-
Publication / 4 februari 2008
-
External link / 31 mei 2018
Promoting local participation in mega-projects (Annual Report 2017)
November 2017. A delegation of the Dutch dredging company Van Oord listens to fishermen from communities around Suape harbour, Brazil. For the fishing communities, the meeting meant a long-awaited breakthrough in their efforts to have their grievances heard. Their fishing grounds have been damaged ever since Van Oord started deepening the sea access channel to the port seven years ago.
-
Dossier /
Agua Zarca: indigenous fight against dam costs lives
Indigenous Hondurans are resisting the construction of the Agua Zarca hydrodam. Their fight has cost several lives, including that of Berta Cáceres. After considerable public pressure, Dutch development bank FMO withdrew from the project.
-
News / 4 augustus 2017
Nicaragua Canal undermines human rights
A report published yesterday by Amnesty Central America shows that the plans for a new canal leads to numerous violations of human rights in Nicaragua. And that's even before the works have started. Many organisations therefore protest against the canal, supported by Both ENDS.
-
Publication / 13 oktober 2016
-
Publication / 29 oktober 2014