In 2007, the Federal Government of Brazil formally recognized the existence of so-called traditional populations (Presidential Decree 6040 of February 7), expanding the recognition partially made in the
1988 Constitution (only indigenous and quilombola) to cover the following communities: caboclo; caiçara; extractive; jangadeiro; fisherman; riverside; tapper; in addition to indigenous and quilombola. The law also established the "National Policy for the Sustainable Development of Traditional Peoples and Communities" (PNPCT), subordinated to the
Ministry of the Environment. In 2016, Decree 8750 was issued by President
Dilma Rousseff, establishing the
National Council of Traditional Peoples and Communities (CNPCT). It was initially established as an arm of the
Ministry of Social Development and Fight against Hunger. In 2018, under the presidencies of
Michel Temer and later
Jair Bolsonaro, the council was shifted to the
Ministry of Woman, Family and Human Rights as per Decree 9.465. In 2023, under President
Lula da Silva, the council was expanded and shifted to the
Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. In addition, Lula established a National Secretariat for Traditional Peoples and Communities and Sustainable Rural Development under the same ministry. Other offices, particularly those concerning the quilombola communities, are housed under the
Ministry of Racial Equality and other independent government agencies, such as
INCRA and the
Palmares Cultural Foundation. == List of traditional communities ==