[personal profile] shiningfractal
Creating a **public policy to encourage people to move into degraded land for restoration** is a powerful way to tackle **land degradation** while providing **economic opportunities** and **basic support** for marginalized communities. Below is a structured public policy proposal that outlines the key components, objectives, and actions.

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### **Public Policy Proposal: “Restoration and Opportunity: The Path to a Sustainable Future”**

#### **Objective:**
To promote the restoration of **degraded lands** by incentivizing the settlement of families and individuals, providing them with financial support, technical assistance, and education in agroecological practices, with the goal of achieving **sustainable land productivity**, **carbon sequestration**, and **food security**.

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### **1. Policy Framework**

#### **1.1 Key Goals:**
- **Restoration of Degraded Lands**: Encourage the restoration of degraded land through agroecological practices such as **agroforestry** and **regenerative agriculture**.
- **Community Empowerment**: Provide vulnerable communities (especially **rural families**, **MST members**, and **unemployed individuals**) with opportunities to become **landowners** or **long-term lessees**, fostering **economic self-sufficiency** and **social inclusion**.
- **Food Security**: Increase the domestic supply of **sustainable, nutritious food** by enhancing **small-scale agriculture** and creating **local food systems**.
- **Carbon Sequestration**: Reduce **greenhouse gas emissions** through **carbon capture** achieved via **restoration** and **agroforestry systems**.

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### **2. Target Population**

- **Displaced Families and Individuals**: Targeting people living in urban areas with high unemployment or low-income levels who can benefit from relocating to rural areas.
- **MST Settlers**: Provide land access and restoration opportunities for **landless rural families** or those involved in **land struggles**.
- **Young Farmers and Entrepreneurs**: Provide incentives to attract young people interested in **agriculture** and **sustainability** practices, encouraging generational transitions in farming.
- **Low-Income Urban Communities**: Focus on people from **underdeveloped urban areas** looking for new opportunities to move to rural lands and participate in restoration projects.

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### **3. Key Components of the Policy**

#### **3.1 Land Allocation and Leasing Program**
- **Land Access**:
The government will provide **degraded land** (either government-owned or unproductive private land) on **30-year renewable leases**. Leases will be issued with the goal of **restoring the land** over time through agroecological methods like **agroforestry** and **soil regeneration**.

- **Lease Terms**:
- **Free for Restoration**: The lease is **free** for the first **3–5 years**, providing the family time to restore the land.
- **Incremental Payments**: After the restoration period, lease fees can be **gradually implemented** based on the level of productivity and land recovery. Lease payments should be **scalable** according to the success of land restoration.
- **30-Year Renewable Lease**: A long-term commitment ensures stability for families and provides enough time for land to become productive.

#### **3.2 Basic Needs Support Program**
- **Income Support**:
The government will provide **basic income** to lessees (families or individuals) for the first **3–5 years** to help cover essential needs (e.g., food, shelter, healthcare, and education). This ensures that families can focus on **land restoration** without the immediate pressure of having to earn a living.

The basic income will be set at a **livable wage**, based on the local cost of living, ensuring the recipient family has **economic security** while their land transitions into productivity.

- **Housing and Infrastructure**:
The government will provide **modest housing** or **construction materials** for families who move to degraded land, alongside building necessary **community infrastructure** (e.g., **water systems**, **roads**, **health centers**, **schools**) to make these rural areas livable and self-sustaining.

#### **3.3 Education and Technical Assistance**
- **Agroecology Training**:
Families will receive **training** in **agroecology**, **agroforestry**, **soil restoration**, and **sustainable farming practices**. This training will be provided by government-sponsored programs, agricultural universities, NGOs, and private-sector experts.

- **Technical Support**:
On-site technical assistance will be provided for land **restoration**, including access to **seeds**, **tools**, and **fertilizers** to help them implement **agroforestry systems** and **regenerative agricultural practices**.

#### **3.4 Support for Market Access**
- **Farmers’ Cooperatives**:
The policy will encourage the formation of **local cooperatives** to help smallholders market their products. These cooperatives will allow families to pool their resources, **sell produce collectively**, and access broader markets.

- **Infrastructure Support**:
The government will support **market infrastructure**, such as **local food markets**, **distribution networks**, and **cold storage facilities**, to help smallholders move their products to urban and export markets.

#### **3.5 Environmental and Social Monitoring**
- **Land Restoration Monitoring**:
Each leased land parcel will be **monitored** for **ecological restoration progress**, including soil quality, biodiversity levels, and carbon sequestration rates. This monitoring will be carried out by government agencies in collaboration with **agricultural NGOs** and **local universities**.

- **Social Monitoring**:
The government will track the **social well-being** of families living on the land, ensuring that their **basic needs** are met and that the program is successful in achieving its goals of **poverty reduction** and **rural development**.

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### **4. Financial Support and Funding**

#### **4.1 Government Budget Allocation**
- The government will allocate funds to support the program, covering **basic income** payments, **land restoration grants**, and **technical assistance**. Initial funding can be sourced from **environmental conservation funds**, **climate change mitigation funds**, or **social development programs**.

- The policy will leverage **international climate finance** (e.g., **carbon credits**, **green bonds**) to fund long-term **sustainability** goals, particularly for land restoration and **carbon sequestration** projects.

#### **4.2 Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs)**
- The government will encourage **public-private partnerships** with **NGOs**, **agricultural companies**, and **financial institutions** to provide **long-term support** to families. These partnerships can provide **capital**, **expertise**, and **market access** to help lessees succeed in the program.

#### **4.3 Outcome-Based Funding**
- The program can implement **outcome-based funding** mechanisms, where financial support is tied to specific milestones, such as **land restoration targets**, **market access achievements**, or **community development goals**. This ensures accountability and results.

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### **5. Expected Outcomes**

- **Restoration of Degraded Lands**:
The program will lead to the **recovery of degraded lands**, making them productive through sustainable practices like agroforestry and regenerative agriculture.

- **Increased Food Security**:
As the land becomes productive, it will contribute to **national food security**, particularly by increasing the supply of **organic, sustainable food**.

- **Rural Economic Growth**:
By providing land, support, and market access, the program will help to develop **local economies**, reduce rural poverty, and create new jobs in **agriculture**, **agroforestry**, and **food production**.

- **Carbon Sequestration**:
Land restoration will help sequester significant amounts of **carbon**, contributing to Brazil’s goals under the **Paris Agreement** and advancing the country’s role in **climate change mitigation**.

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### **6. Policy Evaluation and Scaling**

- The program will be **evaluated annually** based on land restoration progress, social impacts, and financial outcomes. Adjustments will be made to improve **land access**, **basic income distribution**, and **training programs**.

- Over time, the program can be **scaled up** to include more families and cover more **degraded land** across the country, with a focus on the **Amazon**, **Cerrado**, and other ecologically critical regions.

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### **Conclusion**

This **public policy** offers a **holistic approach** to restoring **degraded lands** by incentivizing people to **move to rural areas** and engage in **land restoration**. It provides the **necessary support**—in terms of basic income, training, and market access—while also contributing to the **environmental sustainability** of Brazil’s landscapes. It provides a unique opportunity to create **jobs**, **improve food security**, and address the **climate crisis** while supporting Brazil’s long-term development.

Would you like to dive deeper into specific **implementation strategies** or explore any other aspect of this proposal?

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shiningfractal

June 2025

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