Tobias Barreto: Agricultural innovation in Brazil
The surrounding region of Tobias Barreto has something which most villages in the arid North East of Brazil can only dream of: a surplus of water. Yet, the local agriculture and economy have insufficiently benefited from this advantage. For this reason STRO co-operates with entrepreneurs and the local government in agricultural innovation: the production of sheep cheese, bio fuel and organic vegetables.
sheep geese
In Brazil the countless sheep yield wool and meat. Sheep cheese, despite its high nutritional value is not a by-product in Brazil. Therefore the farmers near Tobias Barreto are grabbing the opportunity to partake in a new project: producing sheep milk and sheep cheese. The first step for the farmers is to follow a training programme to learn how to breed sheep that will improve the milk quality of the local sheep race Santa Inês. Additionally, a new factory will produce the high-quality Agrovila sheep cheese. This creates extra employment for women and youngsters. The new sheep products will be sold to tourist hotels in the coastal area of Brazil.
Bio fuel
The production of bio fuel also offers opportunities. At the moment small-scale experiments with various plants and seed are taking place. In the long run there will be a plantation for oil-producing plants such as peanuts and Jatropha Curcas.
This means killing two flies with one stone: an extra source of income and a considerable saving of energy costs for e.g. trucks and tractors.
Organic agriculture
The combination of a beneficial climate and sufficient water forms an excellent basis for growing organic vegetables. Therefore, the food quality for the region’s inhabitants is thriving. Besides, there are good trading opportunities in the surrounding cities of Tobias Barreto.
Consequently, local farmers are trained in organic agricultural techniques. They also learn to deal with sales in a professional way.
Want to get familiar with this project? Watch this video (in Portuguese).
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