The World Bank’s Board of Directors has approved a new development project in the State of Tocantins in northern Brazil aimed at improving road connectivity, strengthening family farming and promoting inclusive and sustainable tourism. The initiative is designed to support economic growth in rural and vulnerable communities while helping create more and better employment opportunities across the state.
The project will be financed through a US$120 million loan from the World Bank, along with US$30 million in counterpart funding from the government of Tocantins and an estimated US$7.7 million in mobilized private investment. By combining investments in transportation, agriculture and tourism, the program seeks to expand economic opportunities while also improving climate resilience in the region.
According to the Governor of Tocantins, Wanderlei Barbosa, the project represents a continuation of more than two decades of partnership with the World Bank. In addition to improving road infrastructure and strengthening connections such as the paved route to Lizarda, the initiative will also support family farming and inclusive tourism. The program is expected to generate jobs and income while promoting economic participation among women, young people and quilombola communities across the state.
World Bank Country Director for Brazil, Cécile Fruman, noted that Tocantins has strong potential to generate quality jobs while preserving its natural and productive resources. She explained that linking safer and more resilient transport infrastructure with climate-smart agriculture and inclusive tourism can help build a development model that expands opportunities for rural communities and strengthens the state’s long-term economic competitiveness.
A major part of the project will focus on improving road infrastructure. Plans include the rehabilitation and maintenance of 746 kilometres of paved state roads through performance-based contracts, as well as targeted road safety improvements. The project will also support the preparation of Tocantins’ first road public-private partnerships to help strengthen long-term infrastructure development.
The program will also support around 12,000 family farmers through expanded rural extension services and the promotion of climate-smart agricultural practices. Financial support and productive partnerships will help farmers increase productivity and improve access to markets, with particular attention to women-led farms, young producers, Indigenous communities and quilombola groups.
Tourism development will focus on the Jalapão region, an area known for its natural landscapes and growing tourism potential. Investments will support improved planning and small-scale infrastructure while providing training, mentoring and competitive grants for micro-businesses and community-based tourism initiatives, including those run by quilombola communities.
The project will be implemented over an eight-year period and will be coordinated by the State Secretariat for Planning and Budget. Through investments in infrastructure, agriculture and tourism, the initiative is expected to generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs while improving access to markets and essential services for rural populations throughout Tocantins.
