Name

Ederval Antonio

Title

General Coordinator, Coletivo Ambientalista Indígena de Ação para Natureza, Agroecologia e Sustentabilidade (CAIANAS)

Location

Terra Indígena Cachoeirinha, Miranda, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

About

Ederval Antonio is the General Coordinator of CAIANAS, an Indigenous-led association founded in 2015 by families from the Cachoeirinha Indigenous Land in Miranda, Mato Grosso do Sul. CAIANAS’s mission is to defend both the quality of life of its communities and the ecosystems they depend on - particularly the Cerrado and the Pantanal.

The organisation strengthens the autonomy of Indigenous families through cultural and ethno-agroecological practices rooted in land stewardship and traditional knowledge. Its work includes:

• Restoring soil fertility in degraded areas

• Revitalising and protecting springs

• Preserving and planting Terena seed varieties

• Creating home gardens and agroforestry systems

• Distributing seedlings

• Teaching agroecology in village schools

• Training community members in agroecology, land and water management, and climate change adaptation

CAIANAS also partners with universities, government bodies, and civil society organisations, takes part in national agroecology movements, and regularly exchanges knowledge with other Indigenous communities across Brazil.

Motivations

“I come from a family where environmental care, spirituality, traditional medicine, and cultural preservation were always central. I feel a responsibility to carry that work forward. That’s what motivates me most.

This sense of duty has only grown stronger in the face of the difficulties my people are experiencing as a result of climate change. As the coordinator of CAIANAS, I feel even more committed. And, of course, love – for our land, our culture, and our people – keeps me going.”

Impact

• Revived soil fertility and biodiversity through agroforestry and traditional crop rotation

• Increased water flow in previously dry springs, improving farming conditions and cooling the local environment

• Reintroduced native animals including tapirs, foxes, and peccaries

• Revitalised Terena agroecological practices through seed exchanges and intergenerational workshops

• Established the Casa de Cura e Canto, a centre for traditional healing and spirituality to protect Terena medicine and shamanic practices

• Trained young people in agroforestry, land management, environmental stewardship, and climate resilience

Challenges

• Managing the escalating impacts of climate change on Indigenous lands

• Securing sustainable funding for ongoing initiatives

• Preserving and passing down traditional knowledge and practices

• Defending Indigenous territorial rights amid growing political threats

Goals

• Expand agroforestry and seed storage initiatives to restore more degraded areas and promote biodiversity.

• Strengthen intergenerational training to deepen young people's involvement in traditional practices.

• Develop partnerships to increase access to resources and technical support.

• Expand exchanges with other agroecological experiences in indigenous territories that seek to integrate ancestral knowledge with environmental sustainability.

Advice

“The lesson I carry, as a member of the Terena people, is that it’s not worth destroying biodiversity to impose a model of agricultural production that benefits only a few people or financial interests.

Our children are already paying a high price for mistakes they didn’t make. They suffer from extreme heat, a lack of rain, and prolonged droughts – consequences of a system that prioritises profit over nature and their future.

My advice is to follow the legacy we’ve been building. Practices speak louder than words. We must preserve our land, our identity, our culture – our way of living with the Earth. That is what will guarantee life on this planet.

So stay motivated, persevere, and fight for the most precious thing we have: our knowledge. Because that is what still gives us a chance.”

How to support

You can support CAIANAS with:

• Partnering to fund agroforestry, environmental education, and media initiatives

• Supporting the purchase of territorial and climate monitoring tools

• Backing projects that address the depletion of water resources in the territory

• Contributing to knowledge-sharing workshops and educational programmes on climate and the environment

• Sharing the story of CAIANAS to inspire other community-led initiatives

CONTACT INFORMATION
Website: https://caianas.org.br/
Facebook: Agroecologia Terena
Instagram: @organizacaocaianas
YouTube: Organização CAIANAS