Stimulus for organic production

The draft National Plan for Agroecology and Organic Production was presented on the Thursday morning (28/02), the 2nd Meeting of the National Agroecology and Organic Production, at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia. The committee, headed by the Secretary General of the Presidency, will discuss for two days, the four pillars supporting the proposal.

by Sophia Gerbim

The goal is to hear suggestions and make adjustments, as of discussions between representatives of nine ministries and other government agencies that comprise the group.

According to the executive secretary of the commission and special advisor to the General Secretariat of the Presidency, Selvino Heck, the debate will be strengthened through the vision of the members of government and society, with direct dialogue between all agencies involved in the issue. "This is the challenge set, which should answer the demand for integration and adaptation of policies and actions to encourage organic and agroecological production," he said.

They are part of the working group, in addition to the General Secretariat of the Presidency, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply, National Supply Company (Conab), the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), Ministry of Rural Development, National Institute of Colonization and Agrarian Reform (INCRA), Ministry of Health, National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA), Ministry of Education, National Fund for Education Development (ENDF), Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ministry of Social Development and Fight Against Hunger , Ministry of Environment; Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture and representatives of civil society organizations.

 CONSERVATION

The proposal presented Thursday is based on four pillars: production, use and conservation of natural resources, knowledge, innovation and research, marketing and consumption. For Secretary of Extraction and Sustainable Rural Development Ministry of Environment (MMA), Paulo Guilherme Cabral, the axis which addresses the use and conservation of natural resources is a priority for the MMA. "The goal is to promote and consolidate processes use and conservation of natural resources, as well as investing in activities such as environmental regulation and strengthening commodity chains sociobiodiversity" he explained.

Moreover, the consolidation of programs specific to the seedling base systems are also an organic and agroecological priority.

The traditional population, living the sustainable use of biodiversity, are represented in the group by the president of the National Council of Extractive Populations (CNS), Joaquim Belo. According to him, there is much to learn from the work done by extractive communities, including riparian, Indians, maroons and small farmers. "I guess we can pass on a little of the knowledge acquired in the forest for centuries by our people, on production naturally without pesticides and with inclusion of thousands of families living marketing products like acai, babassu oil, rubber, palm fiber, among other "he said.

PRODUCTION AND RESEARCH

According to the Plan, Agroecology is planning on spending $5 billion per year to fund investment and credit instruments and insurance production and industrialization suited to organic production and agroecological base, not including the $55 million for actions to promote and support the productive infrastructure.

Thus, it is expected to reach 28,000 units of production appropriate with regulations for producing Brazilian organics. There are also plans to invest R $4.3 million in shares for the strengthening of rural women's groups.

In research, the preliminary version of the proposal provides for the promotion of technical assistance and rural extension, focusing agroecological and organic production systems, for 230 000 households and 150 economic organizations of family farming.

Besides the application of R $3.5 million in programs, there are projects and activities of education, technological innovation and extension institutions of primary, secondary and higher education and an additional $9 million in research and development.



Translated from the Portuguese version by:

Lisa Karpova
Pravda.Ru