João Pedro Damasceno

Brazilian environmental engineer pioneering agroforestry solutions to combat Amazon deforestation

Dr. João Pedro Damasceno revolutionized sustainable agriculture in the Amazon through his 2021 AgroFuturo initiative. His team's integrated agroforestry model, combining native tree species with cocoa and coffee crops, has restored 15,000 hectares of degraded land by 2024. Partnering with Indigenous communities, he developed the EcoTrac blockchain platform to certify sustainable supply chains. His 2023 paper in Nature Sustainability showed a 40% income increase for participating farmers while reducing deforestation by 22%. Damasceno's 2025 collaboration with WWF expanded the model to Peru and Colombia, earning him the Global Green Pioneer Award. He mentors 200+ young engineers through the Amazon Innovators Program, creating the region's first circular economy incubator.