Ongoing
Açaí Irrigation
Promotes efficient water use in açaí production in Pará by training farmers to improve irrigation and productivity in a sustainable manner.
Location
Location
Community
The project directly benefit 180 people, including residents of the Agrarian Settlement (PA) and the municipalities of Amapá do Maranhão, Carutapera, Luís Domingues, Godofredo Viana and Cândido Mendes. Considering all project actions and their ripple effects, an estimated 500 to 1,000 producers may be indirectly impacted.
These are families that rely mainly on agricultural sales or state and federal assistance programs as their primary income. Production is diverse, from traditional crops such as cassava, beans, corn, rice and sweet potato to heirloom varieties and native species like copaíba, buriti, andiroba, tucumã and açaí. However, families still lack training in value-adding agricultural techniques, infrastructure and financial management to run their businesses and access markets.
Although market demand exists (notably for açaí), annual production is often insufficient to meet demand, which has contributed to rising prices. To balance supply with growing demand, increasing production is essential. The project therefore promotes productivity gains through technologies such as irrigation systems, improved seeds and seedlings, and intensified Technical Assistance and Rural Extension (ATER) services.
Species
Açai Palm (Euterpe oleracea)
This palm species, native to the Amazon, is abundant in the region and important for local food security. Today it is one of the main bioeconomy products in Brazil and the second most important agricultural product in the Amazon region after cassava.
Açaí harvest requires careful handling. In the morning, harvesters climb the palm trunk using a peconha and cut the fruit bunch with a machete, depositing it on a tarp on the ground for fruit selection.
Beyond the food market, açaí’s antioxidant properties increase its potential for use in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
Activities
Expand the açaí value chain by promoting açaí planting and cultivation on already anthropized upland areas
This includes training farmers in açaí management on upland soils and planting açaí seedlings in degraded areas to increase production and restore soils. It also involves training and building cisterns to capture rainwater and support irrigation.
Promote cultivation, management and enrichment of açaí stands in floodplain ecosystems through agroforestry systems
This activity includes a seminar to guide farmers on açaí management in várzea (floodplain) areas and field days for hands-on management of existing açaí stands, preparing farmers to implement Agroforestry Systems on their properties.
Install a mini processing facility for açaí pulp
Focused on building a small processing unit for açaí pulp extraction and training family farmers to operate processing equipment, adding value to raw materials. The Association will adopt sales systems similar to PAA (Food Acquisition Program) and PNAE (National School Feeding Program), handling sales and passing 70% of revenues to member sellers.
Impact
3,000
hectares of açaí palms managed and enriched
4,000
açaí seedlings planted
640
direct jobs generated by promoting the açaí value chain
180
family farmers trained in açaí management for floodplain and upland systems
60
m² of infrastructure built for açaí pulp processing
2,500
kg/ha/year açaí production
Grupo Boticário
One of the world’s largest beauty groups, Grupo Boticário is a Brazilian company present in 50 countries. It owns brands such as O Boticário, Eudora, Quem Disse, Berenice?, BeautyBox, Vult, O.u.i, Dr. JONES, Truss and the Beleza na Web marketplace, and works with licensed products like Australian Gold as well as a B2B division. The interaction among brands, active ingredients, platforms, franchise networks, distributors, retailers, sellers and suppliers forms Grupo Boticário’s beauty ecosystem, which also offers digital retail business solutions through brands such as Mooz, Casa Magalhães and GAVB. The group employs more than 15,000 people and has over 4,000 points of sale across 1,780 Brazilian cities.
AMPS
Founded in 1995, AMPS has advocated for the rights of families in the Pindoval settlement for decades, claiming basic public services such as schools, health posts and land regularization where families live and work.
VBIO.eco
A bioeconomy platform that enables projects to valorize Brazilian biodiversity. VBIO.eco has a multidisciplinary team with over 12 years of experience in project management and corporate communication. Its work has enabled the implementation of 23 biodiversity valorization projects and created a network of more than 500 organizations and companies active in socio-environmental causes.