In Mariana, Barra Longa, Santa Cruz do Escalvado and Ponte Nova, 63 families have already been served.
To strengthen sustainable agriculture in locations affected by the collapse of the Fundão dam (MG), vegetable gardens and orchards are being implemented on rural properties. To date, 63 families have been awarded with at least one of the 109 structures completed, 49 gardens and 60 orchards in the municipalities of Mariana, Barra Longa, Santa Cruz do Escalvado and Ponte Nova, in Minas Gerais.
The action, carried out in partnership between the Renova Foundation and the Agricultural Research Company of Minas Gerais (Epamig), has the participation and contribution of producers to indicate the format and size of the structures, installation location within the property and the types of desired plant species. At the end of July, two rural properties in Barra Longa received the first circular agroecological gardens. These structures have a format that allows more use of light, water for irrigation and land spaces for planting diversification.
According to the specialist in Sustainable Land Use at the Renova Foundation, Gabriel Kruschewsky, the expectation is that the circular gardens will be models for society and that the farmers will be multipliers. “Our interest is in productive diversification and in the formation of sustainable agro-ecological systems, which will allow greater value addition and, consequently, increase the income of farmers. All of this constitutes an important element for the rural development strategy in the affected municipalities and for the resumption of agricultural activities”, says the specialist.
With the initiative, producers and their families gain in financial savings and quality of life, working on the health of their bodies, through the consumption of healthy and natural foods and handling plants. According to Paolo Lages Sequenzia, coordinator of the action and analyst for Sustainable Land Use, after installation, it is up to the families to manage the vegetable garden and/or orchard. “In any choice, the Renova Foundation continues to provide support from Technical Assistance and Rural Extension (Ater), through technical information to boost production, in addition to making available kits with seeds and tools so that rural producers are able to continue the works”, he says.
Pasea
The initiative is one of the actions aimed at rural producers who have accepted the Socioeconomic and Environmental Adequacy Plan (Pasea) of the Renova Foundation and which are carried out according to the characteristics of each property. Developed in conjunction with the rural producers of Upper Doce River, the plan proposes improvements in production and in the integration between the environment and the rural environment. In addition, it covers productive restructuring, vegetable gardens, orchards, rural infrastructure, Technical Assistance and Rural Extension (Ater) and forest restoration of Permanent Preservation Areas (PPAs).
Pasea foresees the construction of 133 structures of conventional vegetable gardens and orchards in 2021. Together, these structures will include around 80 families of rural producers from Upper Doce River. The proposal is that other Minas Gerais municipalities located in the Doce River basin are also included.