Earth Innovation Institute

Earth Innovation Institute catalyzes innovative, large-scale transitions to low-emissions rural development in tropical regions by promoting policies, market transformation, and sustainable farming, forestry, and fisheries systems that improve rural livelihoods and enhance the capacity of the planet to support life. Through targeted, regional interventions, we seek globally significant increases in farm production, forest cover, fisheries yields, and rural household wellbeing while decreasing emissions of heat-trapping gas.

Born in the Brazilian Amazon with a staff that has been working in unruly forest frontiers while designing and testing sustainable farming, forestry and fisheries management systems for decades, Earth Innovation Institute drives the transition to low-emission rural development[i] through cutting-edge research that identifies potential synergies among policies, market trends, and rural sectors, by designing regional transition strategies that are supported by businesses, governments at multiple levels, communities and civil society, by creating novel alliances among institutions, and by building local institutional capacity. We are now working with local partners to design and/or implement transitional strategies for low-emission rural development in Brazil (Mato Grosso, Pará, Acre, São Paulo States, national), Indonesia (Central Kalimantan, West Papua), Colombia (national), Mexico (Chiapas State), Peru (the Pachitea Watershed), Kenya (the central montane region), Paraguay, and Ghana.

[i] Low-emission rural development is defined by its performance: more food, fiber and fuel from the land, more forests and other native ecosystems, fewer emissions of heat-trapping gases, and better livelihoods for economically marginalized rural families and communities.