The Jussara Programme is helping forests and families thrive
A model that can reach 171 more households in Brazil.
In Tupi-Guaraní, Jussara means 'the highest.' It’s also the name of a native palm tree, Euterpe edulis. It is now at risk of extinction after centuries of deforestation and degradation.
In Southern Bahia, families in Dois Riachões, Santa Maria, Dandara, and nearby farms are restoring forests and rebuilding food systems through the Jussara Programme. They're practicing agroecology, reviving traditional crops, and creating supply chains that sustain both their livelihoods and the land.
Led by Indigenous, quilombola (a community in Brazil originally founded by escaped enslaved Africans), and family farmers, with women at the helm, the land is making its comeback.
From slavery-driven cocoa and sugarcane to monoculture eucalyptus, this biome has seen centuries of exploitation. Now, native species like Jenipapo, Araribá, Jequitibá, and Jussara are returning.
Access to loans has never been easy for farmers. But this programme gives them the tools, skills, and confidence to feed their families, earn an income, and take back control of their land.
Women are building networks of knowledge and solidarity, growing local economies while restoring soil, water, and microclimates. A total win.
All ecological progress is tracked through Restor and drone monitoring. But without more funding, growth will stall.
The project needs support to keep going. The Jussara Programme can reach 171 more families and scale a model of agriculture that restores instead of depletes.
The Jussara Programme, implemented by the Ubá Sustainability Institute.
