A study by the University of Bath found that an unconditional basic income of nearly £2 per day improved food security and living standards among Indigenous communities in the Peruvian Amazon, while also boosting forest conservation efforts.
The two-year pilot involved 211 participants from three Asháninka and Yanesha communities and was supported by the climate charity Cool Earth. The program provided direct cash payments without conditions.
Nearly 90% of participants adopted environmentally beneficial practices, and 87% engaged in conservation activities like reforestation and protecting water sources. Households unable to afford nutritious food decreased significantly, and temporary migration for work also declined. Researchers noted that direct cash support, coupled with community organization, strengthened livelihoods and the communities’ ability to manage their ancestral lands.
Source: Down To Earth