Indigenous Tribes Exit Railway Work Group Over Amazon Grain Route Concerns

Indigenous groups have withdrawn from a government work group on the Ferrograo railway project in the Amazon, citing inadequate consultation and environmental concerns. The Munduruku and Kayapo people, among others, claim the project will lead to deforestation and threaten their ancestral lands. Farmers support the railway for lower transportation costs.

Indigenous groups in Brazil have withdrawn from a government-established work group focused on the Ferrograo railway project, intended to transport grains to a port in the Amazon. The Munduruku and Kayapo tribes, along with others from the Xingu reservation, criticized the group for failing to engage all stakeholders in discussions about the 1,000-km railway.

The Transport Ministry and state infrastructure company Infra S.A., responsible for the project, were unavailable for immediate comment. Proponents, including farmers and grain traders, argue the railway will reduce road reliance and cut costs for soy transport from Mato Grosso to Amazon river ports. However, Indigenous communities argue the project will damage their environment and cause deforestation, further noting they were not consulted on these plans.

Last year, Brazil's Supreme Court suspended the project, pending further impact studies. Alessandra Munduruku, a 2023 Goldman Environmental Prize winner, emphasized the lack of consultation, stating the government's focus is solely on soy expansion. A letter from Indigenous communities stated they are ending their involvement with the work group but will continue opposing the railway construction.

The project is expected to affect the lands of 16 Indigenous peoples, with critics warning it benefits transnational companies exporting soy and corn at the environmental expense. Although the government claims the railway will reduce highway traffic and fossil fuel use, Sydney Possuelo, an expert on isolated tribes, considers the railway a lesser evil compared to a highway that would invite more outsiders and illegal activities.

(With inputs from agencies.)