Entrepreneurs’ Fair
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Organized by Sebrae (the small entrepreneurs’ support service) of the
State of Paraíba, the Entrepreneurs’ Fair took place last month in the
Cultural Center of João Pessoa, and was visited by around 19,000
people during the 3 days of the event. |
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Although it focused more on small industries and the service sector,
Fazenda Tamanduá, as an exporter belonging to the farming sector, was
invited to make an address presenting the opportunities offered by the
organic fruit segment, both in the national and international markets.
The difficulties that exist for the development of the internal market
were also mentioned. Despite the fact that the room was small, around
80 people took part in this panel, which raised many questions
expressing doubts about organic farming and cattle raising, which is
still not well known and disseminated in Brazil, let alone in the
North-East. |
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Pierre Landolt presenting Fazenda Tamandua at Entreperneurs´
Fair |
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On
that occasion two Paraíba producers, one growing tropical flowers in
the coastal region and the other, minimally processed vegetables in
the agreste region, said they were interested in organic
certification, as they were aware both of the potential and of the
need to preserve, as much as possible, the scarce resources available
in our State.
This
is yet another proof of the importance of systematic participation of
certified producers in such events, starting the debate on the various
types of farming and explaining, in detail, the advantages offered by
ours. |
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EOSTA
Nature & More |
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We
have recently had a visit from Mr. Volkert Engelsman, the founder of
EOSTA, one of the largest importers and distributors of organic fruit
in Europe, with its base in the Netherlands. Accompanied by José
Cubero, he visited the mango plantation area, as well as the packing
house and cold storage facilities at Fazenda Tamanduá.
His
visit occurred just at the beginning of our harvest – the whole crop
will be exported to EOSTA. There was enough time to clarify some of
the little problems that occurred in the course of last year’s
harvest, and that will not recur. Such visits are very opportune,
enabling us to establish a different relationship among commercial
associates, and to constantly improve the quality of our product in
Europe’s sophisticated market. |
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Volkert, who is an anthroposophist, praised Fazenda Tamanduá for
having obtained the Demeter certification, which implies a much more
comprehensive view of the organic process. He took advantage of his
stay in order to present the “Nature & More” concept that he is
definitively implementing, and invited Mocó Agropecuária Ltda. to take
part in this program. This brand-name will ensure the consumer, via
its website, a totally transparent view of the environmental and
social practices of each producer. The notes concerning each producer
will be based on a standard questionnaire, to be filled in by each one
and controlled by inspection.
Like us, Volkert is sure that European consumers are increasingly
interested in the social impact caused by fruit producing firms.
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From left to right:
Volkert Engelsman, José Cubero,
Didier Jean, Manoel Zacarias de Lima |
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Good
practices in respect of social responsibility will henceforth be
systematically included and inspected for purposes of organic
certification. That is exactly what the Biodynamic Institute has been
doing. After a strict inspection, it issues an “Eco-social”
certificate, guaranteeing that the rights of workers are being
respected and that, in the every-day routine, the entrepreneur seeks
to favor and encourage the health, education, training and leisure of
his workers. |
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The
riches of the vazantes |
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In order to ensure constant milk production throughout the year,
the quantity and quality of the organic fodder given to Fazenda
Tamanduá’s herd is vital.During the short rainy season, we have
been planting and ensiling forage-type sorghum successfully for
years, ensuring almost all the necessary voluminous fodder. But we
still lacked a forage plant that could be used during the long dry
months, could be used in its natural
state and, if possible, could be stored in the case of a
very long drought. |
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Those who live and wish to work in the “sertão” have two options:
to fight against the drought, or to learn to live
with it.
At the end of the 70’s, having recently arrived from Europe, we
tried to fight against the drought, investing heavily in
irrigation implements, and using energy and water indiscriminately
in order to obtain meager results in this region, in which the
co-efficient of evapotranspiration is one of the highest in the
world.
We therefore decided to follow a different path, learning to
live with it. By observing the life, customs and farming
techniques of the sertanejos, we learnt from them. That was
how we discovered and adapted the technique known as cultura de
vazante – the cultivation of river and reservoir banks after
the floods recede. |
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As the drought gets worse, the water from the reservoirs
evaporates (the evaporation may be as much as 15 mm per day!), and
a strip of moist, fertile, alluvial soil is exposed. Every week,
the farmer plants this area, usually with
subsistence crops – corn, beans,
water melons and melons – but also with a type of grass that will
serve as forage for his animals, called mandante or
andrequicê grass. In fact, andrequicê grass (Echinochloa
crus-galli), has proved to be a wonderful solution:
traditionally planted in periods of receding waters, in the form
of cuttings thrown on the surface of shallow waters, it floats
initially on the surface and later takes root as the water level
falls. |
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The grass is
cut manually when it reaches a height of 70 to 80 cm. |
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Leaving part of our receding-water zones for the farm’s
inhabitants to plant, we decided not only to apply this technique
on a large scale in our reservoirs, but also to use the grass in
haymaking, which enables us to stock ration of good nutritional
value during the dry season.
The grass is cut manually when it reaches a height of 70 to 80 cm.
It is then fed to the animals directly, or made into hay. For
haymaking, the grass is left for two days in the driest areas,
where it is tossed in order to
assure perfect drying. It is then baled
with a manual baler and taken to the shade of a warehouse
until it is consumed.
Thanks to the soil’s residual moisture and a well developed root
system, it is possible, on the more level and shallower parts of
the reservoirs, to carry out two or even three successive cuts, at
an average interval of 45 days. |
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Seeking alternatives for the reservoir bank crops meant for animal
nourishment, we carried out a trial planting of manioc (manihot
utilissima) – a plant rich in starch, very hardy and well
acclimatized. The aim is to offer our cattle an alternative fodder
with a high calorie content, making use of both the stock and the
tuber. The manioc did very well, and we are now seeking more
precocious varieties, with a shorter cycle, in order to carry out a
complete production cycle. |
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