Two very different takes on one farmer's experience

Reflecting on our two weeks in Brazil, I think about the diversity of opinions and approaches to sustainable agriculture and poverty reduction.  Healthy debates abounded on the bus rides in and out of the Brazilian sertao.  Two recent blog posts reminded me of this - Adah and Aaron had VERY different takes on the exact same experience that the two of them had on Baltazar's farm. 

Aaron took the self-proclaimed, more 'capitalist,' Wall Street approach, critiquing the model of farming in rural, arid regions of Brazil, while Adah viewed Baltazar as a flourishing entrepreneur and innovator who has "implemented many new technologies and farming methods" on his small plot of land.  Like Aaron, Adah also took a market oriented approach, reflecting that "These small farmers took on a new way of farming, not, as one would perhaps assume for survival, but to carve out new market opportunities."

Both question how sustainable the method of development is when it is heavily supported by a local NGO, and what the role of the NGO is, while acknowledging that there aren't many other options for farmers in this region - I wonder what else can be done in a region where options are so limited, in a place that's been left behind by the rest of Brazil.  I muse about the drought-stricken 'Environmental Migrants' of the region.

I encourage you to read the posts and comment on both... you can visit Aaron's and Adah's posts to see my critique and those of others.... consider leaving some thoughts of your own!

Comments

[Canadian Government Grants]

I am about to create my very own project since there aren't any reliable jobs available.

Can any individual provide any recommendations or web sites as to how to get government grant money to start with my own small business? I have been looking on the internet but almost every website requires for money and I have already been told by the unemployment office to stay away from the websites that ask for money for grant related information because they're scam. I'd be really thankful for any guidance.

[Ernesto]

I knew we would get two very different opinions! :)

We should start by realizing that there are very few options in the region. Why agriculture? Because there's lots of land, no industry, no tourism, limited transport, etc. Why in the sertão? Because it's a poor region; and there's an element here of "charity" (as Aaron mentioned) - it's important to curb the massive urban migration that has increased favelization and crime in Brazil's big cities.

So one great idea is to bring a parallel industry, and not sell the raw material. Aaron, Adah and I discussed what COULD be done with guava, for example. I think that's a fantastic idea because it generates jobs outside of agriculture (transport, packing, processing, storage, etc).

Another good idea is to help the ONGs and the local organizations to improve their irrigation methods. (And look at the government's work on the São Francisco River, and whether this will help the farmers in the sertão.)

Yet another idea is to investigate and bring in crops that are better resistant to drought. (Not lettuce!)

There are all good ideas, but they probably need to be filtered through the ONGs and the local organizations, and not directly with the farmers.

I think it's inevitable that in a sampling of farmers we'll find that some depend too heavily on the ONGs. It sounded like some farmers had reached out to get government loans, had started passing the technology to other farmers, etc.

There's a process that naturally takes place:

Level 1. The ONG brings information/technology and a percentage of farmers adopt it. (From Shayna, it sounds like 50 farmers out of 2 million?)

Level 2. A percentage of those farmers in #1 are persistent and continue. (These remain in the rural areas, which is already a small victory - one less poor family moving to Recife.)

Level 3. A percentage of those in #2 succeed enough to be able to seek other avenues: government loans, help from other ONGs, help their own neighbors, unionize, etc. We met at least two or three of these farmers.

Level 4. The farmers union then takes on the role of mentor (replacing or working with the ONG) - it sounds from the Afogados trip like this is a work in progress. This is where real business -numbers, figures, analysis- is going to start becoming important.

Obviously, the numbers dwindle at each level, and progress is going to be slow, and there's no path to quick riches, and there is definitely an element of charity. No one said it would be simple!