Integrated Programme for Xingu

Background:
The Xingu River, with its 2.700 km from the state of Mato Grosso into to the state of Pará, is the most important tributary to the Amazon River in the southeast Amazonas. The Xingu Basin, the catchment area surrounding the river, is more than 500.000 km² and includes pristine areas with high biodiversity from the open savanna grasslands (cerrado) in its far south to the rainforests in the north. The sources of the Xingu River are the centre of the most rapidly deforested region of Amazonian Brazil, and perhaps also of the world, during the last years. This deforestation is mainly due to cattle grazing and large scale cultivation, especially of soya, for export markets.

The cultural diversity of the region is also remarkable. The indigenous population counts 15 000 persons, divided in 22 peoples, while the basin has a population of around 200 000.

Since 1995 the Rainforest Foundation Norway (RFN) has supported the Xingu Programme of Instituto Socioambiental (ISA) and the Associação Terra Indígena Xingu (ATIX).  Until 2003 the programme and RFN’s support concentrated on lands of indigenous peoples - Parque Indígena do Xingu and TI (Terra Indígena) Panará. From 2003, however, the programme expanded into the River Xingu basin, as part of the campaignY Ikatu Xingu, and reached the northern region of the basin, Terra do Meio, in the state of Pará in order to obtain the recognition of a mosaic of  nature conservation territories.

The work of the Xingu programme is organised along six lines of action:
1. People’s sustainability. Promoting sustainable livelihoods among the indigenous peoples, river peoples and family agriculture units by enhancing the value of sustainable agro-forestry and extractive production.
2. Networks for management models. Promote networks bent on the development of models for the management of the corridor of protected areas in the Xingu Basin. Includes the Y Ikatu Xingu-campaign.
3. Territorial protection and natural resource management. Support initiatives of territorial protection and natural resource management in the indigenous lands, oriented towards enhancing the value of local agro-biodiversity and sustainability.
4. Economic alternatives. Develop economic alternatives and adequate parameters for the commercialization of products from indigenous and other peoples (povos extrativistas) living on a self-subsistence basis in the forests;
5. Strengthen indigenous associations in mid- and lowland Xingu and in  the TI Panará;
6. Consolidation of indigenous schools. Consolidate differentiated schools specifically  for the indigenous peoples of the Xingu park and the TI Panará;

Purpose/objective:
The evaluation was to cover the processes, results and impacts of the cooperation project of RFN with ATIX and ISA, by means of a critical analysis of the relevance and performance of the Xingu programme of ISA and ATIX in the period 2005-2008.

Methodology:
Field visits were made from October 29 to November 10, 2009, with a very intensive agenda of activities which included interviews, meetings, informal conversations, participation in events and direct observation of activities. Interviews were carried out in Oslo (RFN), Brasilia and Sao Paulo (ISA, authorities) and in the Xingu River basin. A 3 day seminar was held after the evaluation was completed in Brazil with RFN, ATIX and ISA to discuss the findings and recommendations of the evaluation.

Key findings:
The evaluators confirm with certainty that the Xingu programme has contributed to the struggle against deforestation. However, it is difficult to estimate with clarity and precision the extent of this achievement.  A more precise analysis of this impact could be done. The Xingu programme demonstrated efficiency in the conduct of its actions. The ISA teams involved are very motivated and qualified for their tasks. The “productivity” has been as high as expected. Although one should take into consideration the methodological and time constraints of the study, the evaluators did not observe activities that could or should be replaced by other more cost-efficient activities.
Regarding the work with the indigenous peoples, the key question is the strengthening of their capacities and autonomy. It is a very difficult task to know when to wait for the indigenous initiative, when to provide incentives, and when to see the necessity of being more pro-active and take the initiative. There are not only “knowledge” or “techniques” to be assimilated by the indigenous peoples, but also new logics and visions of the world. This transformation may take many generations.
The conclusion is that the Xingu programme, in spite of all the challenges placed on its horizon, has produced many conquests and has followed a correct direction since 2005. Despite many of its measures and strategic actions need a longer time period before they can produce tangible impacts, the evaluation identified already some observable and positive results. The relevance of the programme is evidently high, perhaps even higher in 2009 than in 2005. The efficiency of the programme is also clear at all levels. Measures have been taken to seek for its sustainability. In general terms, one can consider the Xingu programme to be on the right track.

Recommendations:
Al list of recommendations can be found in the report. Each connected to the different lines of action of the progamme. All the recommendations were discussed at a 3 –day seminar in the Xingu region with ISA, RFN and ATIX.

Comments from the organisation, if any: