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March
2005 |
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First
Meeting of the Joint Body of
Fazenda Tamanduá |
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Taking advantage of the presence of Mr. Beat Grüninger, the
representative and inspector of the Fair Trade Labelling Organizations,
the Joint Body of Fazenda Tamanduá met for the first time on February
17, 2005, at 2:30 p.m., at the farm’s own head offices. Eight of the
nine members elected on August 13, 2004 were present. In accordance with
the vote at the workers’ meeting, each one represents one of the farm’s
work areas, as follows: Adelino Amorim da Costa, carpentry; Antônio da
Silva Santos, safety; Claudio Roberto Alves da Silva, day laborers;
George Alves Dias, farm workers at Fazenda Tamanduá; Manoel Zacarias de
Lima Neto, general management; Paula Leite Silveira, fruit processing
and dairy products; Roberto Martins Chaves, machine workshop; Rubens de
Assis Sutero, cowboys. |
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Ismênia Chaves da Costa Campos, the cheese factory
representative, was ill and so had to be absent. Pierre Landolt,
director of Mocó Agropecuária Ltda., was invited to observe the meeting.
After a short introduction of each member, Beat gave a
general overview of the fair trade concept and the way it is practiced
in the world today. The organization’s structure was explained. He
showed the rapid growth of sales of certified products both in Europe
and the USA. Brazil has a small production base, comprising only 17
associations and farms, mainly for coffee and oranges. In addition to
highlighting the fact that this production base in Brazil is expected to
increase in the future - and soon - he insisted on the need to follow
the Mexican model, opening a domestic market for fair trade.
Next, Beat explained the role of the Joint Body and its responsibility
in administering the Fair Trade premium for the good of the community.
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The Fazenda Tamanduá Joint Body
from left to right: Mr. Beat Grüninger, FLO representative and
inspector, Manoel, Paula, Antônio, Claúdio, George, Roberto,
Rubens, Adelino |
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In the case of Fazenda Tamanduá, during the 2004 crop year 13,284 boxes
of fresh mangoes were sold, with a premium of US$ 0.10 per kg, which has
not yet been received. This represents only a small percentage of the
total harvest this year, but was thought to be satisfactory for the
first year’s participation in the Fair Trade market. When this premium
is received, the Fazenda Tamanduá Joint Body will freely decide to
invest the amount in a project that will benefit the community of
permanent and temporary workers, as well as their families |
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Beat believes that the fact that they work with certified organic fresh
mangoes, which have a higher price than conventional mangoes, may limit
sales in the Fair Trade system, but that there are probably better chances
for the dehydrated mangoes. After an active session of questions and
answers, with everyone joining in, the meeting was closed at 4:00 p.m.
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The Great Soccer Tournament at Fazenda
Tamanduá
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A great
soccer tournment, involving 22 teams both from neighboring farms (18) and
from the towns of Patos (4) and Santa Terezinha (2), was recently held at
Fazenda Tamanduá. They included the first and second teams from the
following farms: Lagero, Urtiga, Passagem de Maro, São Gonçalo, Santo Esteve,
Quixaba, Conceição de Baixo, Santana and Tamanduá. |
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Tontonho and Nicolas had been organizing the event for quite some time,
with a great deal care and attention – everything seemed perfect. The
famous Sunday arrived … and the first teams, which should have been
present at 8:00 a.m., had not shown up!
A fatal delay, which led to a reduction in the time for each game to 10
minutes each half.
The
many games that were tied were settled by penalty kicks, 3 for each team
– which were booed by all. In fact, the festive crowd of happy rooters
cheered openly and flirted discretely in the shade of the leafy oiticica
trees and the mesquites strategically located near the field. The high
temperature did not affect the people’s humor and the arduous struggle
went on non-stop all day long. |
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Finally,
the sun slowly set and, only at 6:30 p.m., almost night-time, was the last
game over, with the victory of the Second French Team (Fazenda Tamanduá!),
which, though exausted, beat the First Team of Sítio Lagero, from the
Municipality of Santa Terezinha. The members of the Fazenda Tamanduá First
Team complained a little; they had always thought themselves the best and
looked on the Second Team with a great deal of pity...
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Congratulations to Nando, Valdene, César, George, Raimundinho, Adriano, Titi,
Alan, Pebinha, Lúcio, Paulo, Erasmo and Tontonho!
It was a
day of great fun and complete relaxation. There was no violence, arguments
or quarrels. And no-one insulted or contradicted the farm’s referee,
Carlinhos, who held firm to the very end! An event to be repeated! |
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Research studies the influence of soil and topography
on caatinga vegetation |
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Among the factors that most influence ecological succession, soil stands out
due to its physical, chemical, biological and mineralogical characteristics.
The correlations between soil and vegetation are more clearly observed as
the secondary succession approaches its climax. However, in the course of
the different successional phases, the plant indicators are correlated to
the characteristics of the soil. |
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“Phytosociological Survey” of
Fazenda Tamanduá’s Private Nature Reserve |
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In the last few decades, various studies have been carried out in order
to obtain the maximum amount of information on the type of vegetation
known as Caatinga. Most of these studies seek information of a
qualitative and quantitative nature on the vegetation, by making flora
and phytosociological surveys. Other studies address the existence of
significant interactions among plant species and the environment, such
as the relation between vegetation and soil.
In the
year 2000, a “Phytosociological Survey” of Fazenda Tamanduá’s Private
Nature Reserve was carried out by Forestry Engineer Lúcio Valério
Coutinho de Araújo, a Professor at the Patos Campus of the Campina
Grande Federal University. In this study, 16 botanical families and 25
plant species were identified; the vegetation was characterized as
belonging to the “dense tree-and-bush Caatinga” type.
At
present, new research is under way, which will consist of collecting new
phytosociological parameters and associating them with edaphic and
topographic features of the Nature
Reserve area. |
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The
objective of this work is to study the flora and phytosociological
features of the Caatinga
vegetation in Fazenda Tamanduá’s
Private Nature
Reserve, located in the municipality of Santa Terezinha (PB), as well as
the correlation between the soil and the vegetation at different levels
within the area.
Topographic gradients will be defined in accordance with altitudes
measured at various points of the
Nature Reserve. Next,
topographic profiles will be defined, taking into account the altitudes
measured.
At each
of the profiles a sample of soil will be collected. Phytosociological
data will be compared with the data obtained in the first survey, thus
enabling the dynamics of the vegetation to be studied. |
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It is
important to point out that this work, once concluded, will be the doctoral
thesis of Forestry Engineer Lúcio Valério Coutinho de Araújo, who holds a
scholarship from CAPES/PICDT and is a student in the Agronomy Doctorate
Program at the Paraíba Federal University (UFPB), under the supervision of
Professors Dr. Jacob Silva Souto, of the Forestry Engineering Department at
the
Patos Campus of the Campina Grande Federal University
(PB), and Dr. Leonaldo Alves de Andrade, of the UFPB Agrarian Sciences
Center. This research is receiving the full support of the owner of Fazenda
Tamanduá, Dr. Pierre Landolt. |
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Fazenda
Tamanduá
Caixa Postal 65 - Patos / Paraíba - CEP 58700-970 - Brazil
Tel.(55
83)3422-7070 Fax(55 83)3422-7071 |
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