Haverst Yearbook for Western Bahia

HAVERST YEARBOOK FOR WESTERN BAHIA

AIBA | 2017/2018 | 1 2 | 2017/2018 | AIBA AIBA | 2017/2018 | 3 t was a year of hard work, investment and entrepreneurship, which has resulted in new records of productivity in the field. The Association of Farmers and Irrigators of Bahia (Aiba) has PROMOTE AND STRENGTHEN much to celebrate, as well as share with society, businessmen and others related to the sector – things that are being done by producersI of Western Bahia and their representatives. Their ac- BAHIAN AGRIBUSINESS. EDITORIAL tions go beyond the farm gates and are reflected in the economic, social and environmental development of the region, revealing an orderly and sustainable growth of agribusiness. Dialogue with the Government has improved, but the resources are still small and need to be multiplied by the producers. That is what As for the crops, many techniques are applied to ensure soil improvement, with management adaptations and use of adapted varieties, which are resistant to pests and diseases. The incentive we do! to diversify production, in the off-season and in independent areas, has brought good results and new income alternatives. For more than 28 years, with concrete and effective actions for the development of For schools and communities, we adopted gardens and thus agribusiness, Aiba has inserted the West of guaranteed the improvement of nutritional quality. For the family Bahia among the largest grain and fiber health clinics, we took equipment and guaranteed the expansion producing regions in Brazil. of care. With the work of recovering unpaved country roads, we guaranteed not only the flow of production and foreign exchange to the State, but the lives of those who travel them. The investment still comes in encouraging research and genetic improvement, in the realization of training and qualification opportunities. In valued environmental actions, springs are being recovered, with preserved areas and biodiversity guaranteed.

In 2018 we took an important step in guaranteeing water security by developing a comprehensive study of the region to quantify and monitor the availability of the Urucuia aquifer (un- derground) and the river basins of the Corrente, Grande and Carinhanha (surface). The macro project also involves a third line of research for the study of land use, soil occupation and carbon balance. The work has aggregated different sectors of society, enabling the breakdown of paradigms in relation to the productive form of agribusiness and generating a greater public interest, with relevant results.

Celestino Zanella President of Aiba

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EXPEDIENTE TECHNICAL ADVICE Landino José Dutkevics PRESIDENT: Celestino Zanella Antônio Grespan 1ST VICE PRESIDENT: Odacil Ranzi José Claudio de Oliveira 2ST VICE PRESIDENT: Moisés Almeida Schmidt Orestes Mandelli ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER: Valter Gatto Pedro Matana VICE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER: Josué Grah – SLC Agrícola ESSAY Raimundo Santos Ana Paula Loiola FINANCIAL DIRECTOR: Marcelino Flores de Oliveira PAPER PRODUCED VICE FINANCIAL DIRECTOR: Hélio Hopp CONSULTING BOARD FROM SOURCES EDITING AND REVIEW Humberto Santa Cruz Filho RESPONSIBLE Catiane Magalhães - Jornalista - DRT-BA: 2845 FISCAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS João Carlos Jacobsen Rodrigues The Bahian West Safra Yearbook is a publication of the Ildo João Rambo Walter Yukio Horita Association of Farmers and Irrigators of Bahia. Romeu César Carvalho GRAPHIC PROJECT / PUBLISHING / PHOTOS Júlio Cézar Busato The Bahian West Harvest Yearbook, Martin Döwich aware of environmental and social issues, Marca Studio - 77 3611.1745 Avenida Ahylon Macêdo, 919 uses paper from controlled sources for ADVISED DIRECTORS TRANSLATION Tel.: 77 3613.8000 the printing of this material. The raw ALTERNATE FISCAL COUNCIL Luís Carlos Bergamaschi Joshua Daniel material comes from managed forests in Felipe Francisco Faccioni Paulo Massayoshy Mizote Morada Nobre - Barreiras - Bahia an ecologically correct, socially just and DRAWING Hélio Busato Osvino Fábio Ricardi economically viable way. www.aiba.org.br Printed in the Irmãos Ribeiro Graphic. 5.000 copies William Seiji Mizote Douglas Alexandre Radoll

6 | 2017/2018 | AIBA AIBA | 2017/2018 | 7 THE REGION THE REGION

WESTERN BAHIA: Storehouse of Opportunities

he West of Bahia, a region between the municipalities of Formosa do Rio Preto, to the north, on the border with the state of Piauí, and Cocos, to the south on the border with the state of Goiás, represents an important agricultural frontier for the country. As a reference in large-scale production, carried out with entrepreneurship and a high level of excellence in production processes, the region is aT model of agricultural growth and use of advanced technology. The sum of actions in soil correction, geographical characteristics and public policies have transformed into the reality of regional agribusiness, making the region one of the most productive in Brazil. Considering the Cerrado formations and transition with other ecosystems, there are approximately 9.6 million hectares, and the area currently devoted to the development of agribusiness corresponds to approximately 2.4 million hectares. Soybean production is the main agricultural activity, with this grain being cultivated since the beginning of the 1980s. Currently, the cultivation of cotton, corn, beans, sorghum, forage, coffee, fruits and also livestock are activities that complement the matrix productive location. Production is concentrated in the municipalities of Bar- reiras, Luís Eduardo Magalhães, São Desidério, Formosa do Rio Preto, Correntina, Riachão das Neves, Jaborandi, Cocos and Baianópolis. According to data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), 92% of all grain production is concentrated in western Bahia, and some studies estimate that the region has great potential for expansion, especially when considering the extensive area as well as favorable weather and soil conditions. Well-defined seasons, flat topography and rainfall indices, as well as an extensive river basin with perennial rivers on the Urucuia aquifer, which enhances irrigation, are natural conditions for the development of agricultural activity in the region. The presence of agribusiness and export channels in the state also consolidates the West of Bahia as the grain producing hub of the Northeast. The region is one of the fastest growing and boosts the development of the state's economy. 34.2% of Bahia's agricultural and livestock Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is concentrated in the West's 24 municipalities, which represents more than a third of all the wealth produced by the sector at the state level. Municipalities like São Desidé- rio, one of the four richest in the West, have their economy based fundamentally on agriculture, which accounts for 69.2% of the municipal GDP, the largest agricultural GDP in Brazil. With the largest area planted in the country, equivalent to 600 thousand hectares, the municipality is known worldwide for the volume of grains produced and the quality of it’s cotton.

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The importance of the region west of Bahia in the of national agribusiness

n an exclusive interview with the Yearbook of the Western Region of Bahia, Eduardo Salles, agronomist and irrigation master, talks about the importance of the region in the development of agribusiness, the attraction of new investments for the sector and the work of the verticalization of the commodity chains. As a professional, Salles has a strong presence in the region, representing important productive segments. As publicI manager, he held the executive position of Secretary of Agriculture (Seagri) EDUARDO SALLES and currently represents the sector in the Legislative Assembly of Bahia (Alba), in his second term, chairing the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Policy. Agronomist and Master in Irrigation

You established yourself in the region in 1995 as SALLES: I was able to prove that, in fact, the a leader of the coffee sector and also as a repre- private initiative is moving much faster than the sentative of the irrigators in the São Francisco State (with Public Power, in general, a “trailer" lags River Basin Committee. What problems were behind). The segments, within the government experienced at that time? Was it possible to itself, hamper the development of the sector. The catch glimpse a promising scenario for western pioneering potential of those who settled in the Bahia? West, I quote the southerners there, in greater participation, and farmers from every corner of SALLES: I remember that at that moment, Luiz Brazil and even the world, is not compatible with Eduardo Magalhães was being emancipated and the bureaucratic ties of public power. Now, as a we only had a single hotel and restaurant there. deputy, I continue to defend greater autonomy They were hard times, not that it is a bed of roses for the businessman from the West who, besides now, but then the problems were much greater. being a farmer, is a good manager, an adminis- Nor was it comparable to the difficulties experi- trator who knows how to produce and market enced by the first producers who came to settle in a competitive way. The west just needs the in the region in the 1980s, who camped in tents state to invest in infrastructure. Recognizing this with their families. I was part of the "second wave" competence of the productive sector and as an at the height of coffee growing in the region, us- important legacy of my management, we have ing high technology implemented by producer made important progress with the creation of João Barata, one of the pioneers. I fell in love with Prodeagro, a publicly-funded resource that is the region, with high productivity and we already multiplied and managed by farmers for invest- had great potential for growth at that time. ments in research and infrastructure. A work that would cost R$10 million for the State can be exe- And how did you get to Seagri, with this baggage cuted, with quality, for a lower cost of nearly 30%. and experience in the productive sector and pri- It must be understood that the speed of projects vate initiative? What was the biggest challenge will be greater with the allocation of resources to in implementing public policy as a secretary? the Fund. >>

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tor of Water and Irrigation of Aiba, In relation to Prodeagro, is there any What are the main demands of the re- With regard to the incentive to agro-in- Sustainable use of Urucuia Cisino Lopes. involvement from the city govern- gion that arrive today at your office in dustry, what advances have been The West of Bahia has a predom- ments of the region? Alba, and which guide you in proposi- made? inance in non-irrigated production, tions and amendments, for example? will ensure the expansion of which is characterized by an agri- SALLES: The cities, in general, have SALLES: We have climbed an import- culture that depends exclusively on a greater financial difficulty, but in the SALLES: There are many projects pre- ant step, but we need to intensify the irrigation and maintain the rainwater, restricted in the region to West of Bahia the income that comes sented not only by me, but by other mem- process of verticalization of commod- six months of the year, from October from farming is also very large, involving bers of the allied or opposition base, who ity chains, adding value to production. region's water security to March. By completing the planting the collection of taxes in the production directly or indirectly involve the sector, Bahia, for example, is the second larg- calendar, farmers are able to ensure and services segments. It is necessary and we fight a very great internal struggle est producer of cotton, with high qual- that all of them understand the impor- the historical yields of soybeans, cot- to defend the competitiveness and devel- ity fiber, but we do not have an aggre- tance of the agricultural sector in the ton, maize and other complementary opment of agribusiness entrepreneurs. gate textile industry. We have already economy of the region, above all, in the crops. Data from Aiba show that the Some are absurd and run counter to the processed and sold in bulk, which is generation of employment and income. roductivity in irrigated areas is usually higher, which has attract- non-irrigated area represents 93.5%, development of the sector, such as the an evolution, but we do not have a The counterpart must exist to ensure, ed many producers interested in expanding their business. In with 2.2 million hectares of area. ban on aerial spraying and the use of 30 manufacturing and spinning industry for example, that back roads are better the dry area, for example, soy has an average of 50 sacks per The irrigated area is only 6.5%, chemicals, including some common her- in the state. Deficiencies in infrastruc- managed. The obligation belongs to the hectare, compared to 70 sacks per hectare in the irrigated area. equivalent to 160 thousand hect- bicides in the region, such as glyphosate, ture and, above all, electric power in municipality, the state and the federal The same happens with the cotton crop, with 280 and 350 arrobas ares, mostly with central pivot sys- used for the control of pests and diseas- the region, in sufficient quantity and government. per hectare, respectively, in the irrigated and non-irrigated areas. tems (90%) and also by drip and mi- es. We cannot allow projects of this type quality, are obstacles. Regarding soy- P With the corn crop, the variation is similar to that of soybeans, with cro sprinkler systems. According to to be approved and prevent the growth bean and corn crops, we already have Logistics is still a major bottleneck with yields of 130 to 150 bags per hectare. Lopes, there are a total of 1,522 piv- the existence of a single modal for the of agriculture, a segment so important a large number of improvement units, "From the study being done, we will ensure the expansion and ots, with irrigation capacity of up to flow of production. What is being done for economic, social and environmental but we could have a lot more. With the water security in the region, with sustainability. The tendency, de- 300 hectares, and about 10 thousand to unlock important works like the East development. In relation to the registra- transformation of production into ani- West Railway (Fiol), for example? tion fees, which were absurdly high for mal protein, with by-products in large pending on the availability of the rivers, is to go to the use of ground- hectares in the simplified forms of the sector, and approved by the House volumes, like bran, we could develop water, extracting only that which is able to be replenished and not irrigation. On average, the irrigation SALLES: From the gateway inwards, the last year, we managed to reduce them animal husbandry in confinement. the reserve. Monitoring of the aquifer will serve as a base for the costs for the producer is US$ 10,000 region and the whole Matopiba (Mara- by around 40%. Our challenge now is to adoption of preventive and control measures”, considers the direc- per hectare, with variations. nhão, Tocantins, Piauí, Bahia) complex remedy the problem of regulation and Do you think that modern agricul- are competitive with every country in collection of water used for irrigation, ture has evolved in a sustainable the world in terms of productivity, but recently instituted by the Government. way and from the environmental we can lose in logistics. As a member The law already exists and needs to be point of view? of the Fiol and Porto Sul commission fulfilled, but we want to ensure that such and being present at all meetings and a levy is not too burdensome for the rural SALLES: It has been proven, with decisions, I estimate that we missed a producer; We also have many problems studies from Embrapa and even great opportunity and now the situation with land regularization and legal securi- Nasa, that the Western region is one is different. At a time when the federal ty, especially in Western Bahia. I entered of the most preserving we have and government had the resources to run, with a bill that regulates and gives a con- that the biggest environmentalists are there were some who called them- dition of legal stability for these lands. We the producers. They know that the selves "environmentalists" and obstruct- have a very large problem with areas that greater good is nature and that their ed the construction of the port and the completion of the railroad. Brazil then were on the border with other states such estate depends on it. They sacrifice entered another moment of declining as Tocantins, Goiás and Minas Gerais, and and use their own money for pres- economy, forcing people to go after that, based on a new survey by the army, ervation. Just as in any profession, international investors. At this time, we that opposes current borders, they have there are those who do not comply are in a very advanced process of nego- changed theoretically. At the request of the and need to be punished, but the vast tiation with groups in China, so that Fiol Federal Supreme Court (STF), the State At- majority of farmers in the region are may be granted and completed. The torneys are making new agreements and nature-preserving and riverside com- junction with the North-South railroad we have direct involvement, in this case, munities are already recognizing their is also another possibility in articulation. along with the leaders of the sector. importance.

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es. There is also an important destination for genetic concept. Let's trade this giant quagmire of 33 kilometers improvement of crops, soil management, and envi- for an asphalted road of excellent quality, so we can take ronmental projects. We evaluated the feasibility of the "Soybean Highway" is the first our production at the moment we need, regardless of project and submitted to the approval of the Council, in the rains, and bring in what we need also at the neces- short, all the legal process for operationalization,” said sary time. This way, we guarantee the maintenance of the executive director of Prodeagro, Jussara Ventura. road paved by Prodeagro production and the continuity of the generation of jobs The Bahia Association of Farmers and Irrigators and income in a region that needs this so much,” says (Aiba), the Bahian Association of Cotton Producers soybean and cotton producer César Busato. The geo- (Abapa), the Bahia Foundation and the state Secretar- graphic isolation in the region of Coaceral, in Formosa ies of Agriculture (Seagri) and Infrastructure (Seinfra) do Rio Preto, was another problem that also needed are part of the management council of the Program. ith more than seven thousand kilometers of roads in the West, For the 2018/2019 harvest, the to be solved. "It lacked an access that connected the re- it was necessary to set up a task force to unlock important infra- Program will allocate a total of R$15 gion to the soybean ring, going towards Luís Eduardo MECHANIZED PATROL structure work and to enable the flow of grain and fiber produc- million for the development of in- Magalhães. We built two bridges, one 25 meters over tion. The work is being conducted by the rural producers, through frastructure, logistics and research Aiba, through the Mechanized Patrol of Abapa, has the Sapão River and another 30 meters over the Preto class entities like Aiba and Abapa, in general, with part of the resource of actions, some already underway done an important job of recovering the road. The goal River, providing access for transport loads. The work Wthe Agricultural Development Program (Prodeagro). In the last five years, and others still to be implemented. is to raise the barriers of the road in order to avoid the still required an adjustment of the saw (saw cut), so that more than 1,300 kilometers of back roads have been recovered in all mu- A total of 21 projects will be con- accumulation of water, followed by graveling. And for trucks could make it through. With these actions, we nicipalities in the region. templated. These works include the the first time, the long-awaited asphalting took place. In shorten the distance by 200 km. The highway projects “We always complain about road conditions. We do not like the fact opening of new roads, construction 2018 alone, more than 33 kilometers were completed, were approved by the state government through the that we have to assume this role, it is not our function, but we must act, and recovery of bridges and proj- in the district of Roda Velha, in São Desidério, known as Infrastructure Secretary (Seinfra), and directly benefited multiplying the resources sent to us by the State, which are still very little,” ects such as the development of Soybean Highway. "More than R$5 million was invested more than 200 producers from the areas of Coaceral, emphasizes the president of Aiba, Celestino Zanella. According to him, the sesame crops, as an alternative to in the first 20 kilometers of the soybean road in Roda Garganta and Estrondo,” details Aiba's Agribusiness ad- participation of the farmers has been regular, but there is a low adhesion of the succession of soybeans, in the Velha, with a counterpart of R$3.5 million from the pro- visor, Luiz Stahlke, anticipating that another 45 kilome- the city halls to the Agricultural Development Program (Prodeagro), which winter (which is the responsibility of ducers in the last phase," explains the president of Pro- ters are scheduled for 2019. finances works of this type. the Bahia Foundation) and the man- deagro, Zanella. "The work is being done in a planned In relation to the federal grid, the region is cut by agement of corn diseases, among way, with defined projects and budgets. And we al- Federal Highways BRs 242, 020, 153 and 349, which, in others. ready have a line waiting for the roads,” he points out. recent years, have been under constant maintenance "These resources are funds owed Also according to him, new funding needs to be made by the National Department of Infrastructure and to the producer that are returned as to make the construction of the Rio Grande Highway Transport (Dnit). "From the federalization of BA 030, we a collective benefit and for the de- feasible, which is approximately 40 kilometers. will have the integration of Cocos and Jaborandi, link- velopment of the region and of the "Six years ago, we had a totally impassable road, ing the North of Minas to Bahia; The continuity of BA crops. The first projects began to be with a difference of more than 1 meter in relation to 020 will shorten the distance to Fortaleza by 600 kilo- put into operation in 2016, and we the crops, where the water washed away all the soil. meters, an important destination for maize (due to the had great results. In addition to the A giant quagmire of almost 40 kilometers. On this presence of large farms) and for the flow of milk pro- focus on the infrastructure works, same road, 60 thousand hectares of production pass duction. An attraction also for companies to migrate to which involve the recovery and con- through, not only soybean, but corn, cotton seed and the region, bringing the producer closer to the consum- struction of roads and bridges, it is processed cotton, and also fertilizers and pesticides. er,” concludes the president of Prodeagro, Celestino worth mentioning the construction It’s really a two-way highway. With the advent of the Zanella. "Maintenance of state highways has also been of the Base for the Aero Group of Mechanized Patrol, Prodeagro and the producers join- addressed, at least for the next five years. The acquisi- the PM-Ba Graer - of the Military ing forces, we put gravel down and, for the first time, tion of external resources by the State Government, in Police, to assist in the work of fight- asphalt. We are very proud of this first and important the order of R$100 million, guaranteed the hiring of the ing fires, cargo thefts, and search- asphalt road. What was just an idea, generated a new service,” adds Stahlke.

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Study of Water Potential expands with new partnerships

o ensure water security in western Bahia and Inema) and Infra Hydraulic Structure and Sanitation (Sihs). the sustainable growth of agribusiness, the Asso- In order to aggregate and enable the sharing of in- ciation of Farmers and Irrigators of Bahia (Aiba) formation, recently, new partnerships were formalized is coordinating an important project, the Study of with the Mineral Resources Research Company (CPRM), Water Potential of the Western Region of Bahia, which linked to the Ministry of Mines and Energy; and with the aimsT to quantify and monitor availability of the subter- National Water Agency (ANA), which will be of great im- ranean resources (aquifer Urucuia) and superficial (Cur- portance in the work of registering wells in the region. rente, Grande and Carinhanha river basins). The macro "We still have 3 million hectares to work in the re- project also involves a third line of research to study the gion, so we need to study the water potential to mea- tial in quantity of water, facilitating the identification of the use and occupation of soil and carbon balance. sure and have clear, truthful and uncontested infor- ness and generating greater public interest, with rele- regions that are capable of using irrigation without which The study is funded by Prodeagro and developed by mation. The aquifer is like a box of water and there vance in the results. areas are expandable,” explains the coordinator. the federal universities of Viçosa (UFV) and Rio de Janeiro is no reason to let it overflow between one period of As a product of this, important management tools It should be emphasized that the study includes the (UFRJ), in partnership with the University of Nebraska, in rain and another. We need to develop barring policies have been developed, which can be used as a subsi- percentage inserted in the region, since Urucuia also has the United States, which enabled an exchange of informa- along the rivers in an efficient way,” says the president dy for the State in granting concessions, based on an a great contribution with the rivers from Tocantins and tion between researchers on the model of participatory of Aiba Celestino Zanella. in-depth analysis of the flow of the aquifer, avoiding Goiás. The survey of land use and occupation will also management of water resources in the American state, Initially thought of as a continuous program of overloaded stretches. Another important product bring information regarding replacement, infiltration ca- similar to the water pact, adopted in Brazil. There is also study and improvement, the work has aggregated dif- developed was the digital system of land use and oc- pacity, priority areas for replacement, conservation. the support of the government of Bahia, through the ferent sectors of society, making it possible to break cupation. With a historical survey of satellite images, Infiltration tests are being done to assess soil capac- Secretaries of Agriculture (Seagri), Environment (Sema/ paradigms regarding the productive form of agribusi- showing the evolution and occupation in the region, in ity and pumping in wells. A total of 1,900 soil samples areas of legal reserve, Permanent Preservation Areas were collected. "The tests aim to know the interference (APP), pasture, irrigated and degraded. "The proposal of the well in the lowering of the aquifer, conditioned is to promote efficient and transparent management, at a distance; the maximum capacity and profile of the since the tools can be made available on the site of wells, allowing the analysis of water quality and adjust- the manager or accessed easily on the desktop," says ments of the normative instruction, once again subsi- Aiba environmental analyst and project coordinator, dizing the State, since the measure was institutionalized Glaucia Araújo. According to her, the first part of the without a broad knowledge of the region,” justifies the study is in the final phase, which consists of prospect- environmental analyst. According to her, the research ing the irrigated area in the region, with indication for benefits not only rural producers, but society in gener- new areas, expansion and limitations, expected to be al, because its goal is water security.” It directly benefits concluded in April. Then a new phase will begin with the irrigator who needs to be certain of availability and more advanced and complementary studies. wants to irrigate safely. A high investment is made in the drilling of wells, with an estimated cost of R$1.5 mil- RESEARCH lion for each well. The non-irrigated area producer also The projections of aquifer capacity and exploration already feels inserted in the project, from the work of are being simulated based on the mapping and survey awareness that is being done and the regional develop- of demands for expansion of the irrigated area. "Since ment as a whole, in addition to the possibility of expan- Urucuia is not homogeneous and presents different dis- sion into the irrigated area. The reflection is global, not persion interfaces, 3D mapping allows for a better visual- only in water security, but also in ensuring the market ization of the difference in depth, in addition to the poten- and a sustainable region,” he concludes.

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After the previous identification and diagnosis of the degraded areas, soil restoration measures are being adopted, such as total or Environmental project invests R$ 500 partial fencing and repopulation of seedlings that improve water infil- thousand in the recovery of springs tration and percolation. "This way, we avoid degradation due to cattle trampling, and the compromising of natural regeneration of veg- n intense and valuable work of regeneration of springs began to be etation, favoring the increase of realized in the Valley region, in the Western part of the State, with organic matter and we also avoid multiplying agents," she concludes. region. For the definition of seed- focus on the preservation of water resources and the restoration of loss by erosive processes,” ex- Eight training sessions involving lings to be used, for example, we the ciliary vegetation. Enabled by means of a technical cooperation plained the environmental analyst 160 people have been carried out carried out a floristic survey, iden- agreement, among entities and agencies that work in agribusiness, the of Aiba, Enéas Porto. It is worth so far and another four are sched- tifying the most adapted species in Aproject raised more than R$ 500,000 in this first phase, for the recovery noting that the free access of an- uled to take place by March 2019. areas of the Cerrado and transition of 50 springs and swampy trails located in properties of up to 20 hectares imals in the areas of permanent According to Adolfo Andrade, who biome (Caatinga and Cerrado),” or areas of public domain. The initiative is the result of a partnership be- preservation for drinking water, is responsible for the management adds the director of Environment tween Aiba, Abapa and municipal secretaries of agriculture, covering six in addition to being harmful to the of training and production of ma- of Aiba and coordinator of the municipalities: Barreiras (20 springs), Formosa (10 springs), Jaborandi (4 environment is prohibited by envi- terial, classes are prepared accord- project, Alessandra Chaves, who springs), Correntina (7 springs) and Wanderley (3 springs). ronmental legislation (Forest Code ing to each case and involve theo- already celebrates the newest - Law 12.651/2012). retical and practical knowledge of partnership with the State Univer- The legislation allows for the environmental education and soil sity of Bahia (Uneb), to reactivate creation of limited spaces for live- management. the nursery to produce native stock, such as corridors, which "Each spring has its own speci- Cerrado seedlings and foster re- must be maintained until complete fications and the recovery models search, based on the involvement restoration. The orientation is that adopted must be feasible for the of teachers and students. there be no isolation of the area with wire and electrical fencing, and open fences should be used that allow the circulation of the fauna, excluding those of barbed For the recovery of APPs, it is important to wires, as they cause injuries to the observe the following recommendations: animals. The work focuses on the in- • Isolation of the area and removal of degradation factors such as fire, cattle, volvement of the whole commu- cultivation, water discharge, excess grasses; nity. "If the sense of belonging and • Use native species adapted to the region; zeal is not awakened in the popu- • Approximately 50% of forest species must be fast-growing (pioneer); lation, not only with the spring, but with the entire surrounding area • To diversify the species to the maximum, using fruit and ornamental to attract the fauna; or borders of the basin, all of our efforts and investment will have • Procedures to replant the dead seedlings up to six months after initial planting; been in vain", reinforces the Direc- tor of Environment of Aiba, Ales- • Perform maintenance cleaning of the seedlings (pruning), at least three sandra Chaves. "In order for this times a year, during the first two years; knowledge to be multiplied and • Favor areas that form ecological corridors, interconnecting the forest applied effectively, we are invest- fragments of the region. ing in leadership training to act as

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possible to work multi-disciplinari- need to create a weekly schedule highlights the transforming role ly . In mathematics, for example, to make sure that everyone par- of the project. "It's not just a tech- we can make the measurements ticipates and acts in the garden. nical but a social look, a change of the beds,” he says. It is a kind of natural laboratory of posture and behavior. The re- The success of the actions is where students apply the knowl- sult of the harvest is seen main- guaranteed not only by the school edge acquired in the classroom ly in the change of eating habits. community's involvement with about environmental education, Who takes care of plants, takes the project, but also by the par- healthy eating and even recycling care of people, the environment ticipation of the rural producers of materials such as tires and plas- and neighbor,” she says. It also who "adopt" the garden, financing tic soda bottles, as well as bring- announces that in 2019, the first the implementation costs and ac- ing a legacy: better quality of food community garden of Barreiras Change of habits companying the development of served at school," Lindinalva Lyra, will be implanted in Residencial all stages of development, ranging professor of science at Boa Sorte Boa Sorte, which brings together from the preparation of the soil, School. The 8th year student, Ani- over 1,000 families. "This way we n its second year of implementation, the School Vegetable Garden Project expands its planting, harvesting, up until the agre Pinheiro, confirms that the provide improvement in the nu- activities and, with a thousand square meters of beds, already benefits more than five commercialization. This initiative is understanding of medicinal plants trition of the population in general thousand students of the municipal public network of Barreiras, coming from 13 schools a partnership between the Munici- was facilitated with field lessons. and, especially, of the most needy in rural and urban areas. The purpose is to integrate students, teachers, staff and agri- pality of Barreiras, the Association "We put into practice what we communities," she concludes. culture. "The results were satisfactory and all the schools had two harvests. The production of Farmers and Irrigators of Bahia have learned in class, the class- The work involves the munic- Iwas added to the school's lunch and the surplus was sold,” says the secretary of Agriculture (Aiba) and the Bahia Association es are more fun. We also had the ipal secretariats of Agriculture, and Technology of Barreiras, José Marques Batista de Castro. of Cotton Producers (Abapa). opportunity to plant trees in the Technology Industry and Com- He recalls that the project was born in 2017, with an educational purpose to show the At the Boa Sorte School, one schoolyard. Now it looks more merce (Sematic); Environment impact of the garden on behavioral change. "Since then, we have had very important re- of the beneficiaries of the School beautiful and we can even play in and Tourism (Sematur); the Sec- ports, with good results and we hope to implement this work in more schools. It is im- Vegetable Garden project, there the shade,” she celebrates. retary of Education, Sports and portant to talk about the origin of food and the benefit of vegetables to human health. has been a yield of good results. The agronomist and project Leisure and the Secretary of In- Replicating this at home is even more transformative. Within the school content it is also "The interest is so much that I coordinator, Lucy Coelho Lopes, frastructure.

20 | 2017/2018 | AIBA AIBA | 2017/2018 | 21 PHYTOSANITARY

Phytosanitary programs reduce pest incidence in Western Bahia agriculture

ith each harvest that begins, some pests that endanger productivity maintenance are more widespread in crops. As references in Brazil, the phytosanitary programs of western Bahia have been successful in their results, by adopting educational and efficient measures, guiding the farmer to act at the right time, through the application of fungicide or the Wcorrect management of the soil. Data from Aiba and Abapa reveal that there is a considerable reduction in the impact of pests and diseases from the research and rural extension work developed.

SOYBEAN plication of chemical control with though we have no sighting of the effective fungicides. "With the san- In soybean cultivation, the most disease so far, we are on alert. We itary void, from July 1 to October 7 disturbing disease is still Asian Rust continue to visit the properties and without soybeans in the field, we (Phakopsora pachyrhizi). After mobilize the producers to collect eliminate the green source (host), compliance with the sanitary void leaves and send them to the lab- breaking the natural cycle of the and the beginning of the planting oratories of Adab, in Barreiras; or fungus. Another important work date, even if in advance, producers the Bahia Foundation in Luis Edu- is the establishment of voluntary must continue to monitor their cul- ardo Magalhães", says the agron- plants (tigueras) that are born tivation and apply fungicides, with omy engineer and coordinator of and are not from the culture. The the use of at most two active prin- the phytosanitary program 'De timing or date of planting, which ciples, to avoid the appearance of Olho na Ferrugem’ (‘An Eye on starts on October 7 and needs to Asian Rust. The state is on alert Rust’), by Aiba, Armando Sá. be finalized by December 31, also due to the heavy rains that favor The educational program, with needs to be respected, except for the appearance of the fungus, and investment in research and rural seed production, which is usually the presence of the first outbreaks extension, has 22 regional centers planted later,” says the expert. of the disease in other states of the of activity, with the participation of federation, such as Mato Grosso, leading producers, which total 1.6 CORN Paraná and, recently, Goiás, which million hectares of soybeans. In the borders Bahia. It is worth mention- last harvest, 99 disease outbreaks, Another approach that the ing that the fungus is propagated totally controlled and without loss- Aiba Phytosanitary Program is by wind currents. es, were registered by the pro- taking is the monitoring of Cigar- "Control efforts usually take gram. The control goes through rinha, which attacks corn fields, a place in January, but due to heavy three pillars: the sanitary void, the crop that is being encouraged in rains we began in December. We choice of the quality crops that are the region. The pest causes the are acting in a preventive way. Al- resistant to disease and the ap- tipping or mismanagement of the >>

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mobilize producers, groups of dis- corn. "Each pest impact increases the cost of production and this may make it un- cussions are organized. “The idea feasible. The crop has a high cost per hectare, the seed is expensive and needs high is to think ahead of the problem, productivity. The market is also not very secure, like the soybean and cotton com- always trying to act in a preven- modity, and we need to stimulate crop rotation. It is up to the producer to control tive but not contentious way. It is this pest, to use varieties resistant to the disease and to adopt a technological pack- worth mentioning that the beetle age that reduces the incidence", emphasizes Sá. He also points out that the work is is an extremely resistant pest and in the initial phase of field survey, monitoring, to identify where the plague is, what reducing a large population is very the fluctuation is and if it is causing damage. Rotation of crop is extremely important difficult. The use of herbicides, as to break the cycle of diseases of plants and soil, nematodes. well as a good desiccation and a The management team of the Soybean Phytosanitary Program in the West of very strong pre-planting manage- Bahia is made up of technicians from Aiba, Abapa, Bahia Foundation, Luís Eduardo ment, avoid volunteer plants and Magalhães and Barreiras Rural Producers’ Union, and the Bahia State Soybean and two blooming plants within the Maize Producers Association (Aprosoja Ba). crop", evaluates cotton grower César Busato. COTTON The Phytosanitary Program Abapa's Phytosanitary Program, which has existed for more than 15 years, was operates in 18 Regional Control exclusively aimed at combating the cotton boll weevil but with the advent of other Centers, distributed in cotton pro- crops that succeed cotton, it was necessary to readjust the project, expanding its ducing locations in the western action to other crop pests. The program also paid special attention to the attacks of (15) and southwestern Bahia (3), caterpillars such as, Helicoverpa Spp, Spodoptera, Trichoplusia, White Fly, Bedbugs formed by 13 professionals who and Mites. work in the monitoring, orienta- As the second largest national cotton producer, with 263,000 hectares of planted tion and mobilization of producers area in the last harvest, Bahia has suffered productivity losses associated with the to prevent and combat diseases presence of nematodes. These parasites attack the roots of plants and impair the and pests. Among the actions that absorption of water and nutrients. It is common for producers to ignore the pres- ensure the success of the Phy- ence of these parasites in their crops because the symptoms of the affected plant tosanitary Program is the destruc- are confused with nutritional deficiencies, soil compaction or soaking. It is estimated tion of clumps and cultural remains that these microscopic soil worms cause 12% the worlds production loss in agricul- during the sanitary cleansing of ture. National agribusiness accounts for losses of about R$35 billion annually with cotton, determined by a state sani- the parasite, according to data from the Brazilian Society of Nematology (SBN). tary law that begins on September The Phytosanitary Program is one of the main pillars of action, Bahia is a ref- 20 and runs until November 20. erence in monitoring the beetle. In the last harvest, cotton producers reached an This program also promotes the average productivity of 322 arrobas per hectare, a record mark in the region. In orientation of the delivery drivers, addition to the regularity of rainfall, the results can also be credited to the Phytosan- alerts for ways of packaging the itary Program. cotton and supports compliance Still in relation to the main pest of cotton, there was a significant reduction in the with the ordinance of the Bahian amount of insecticides in the field, contributing to the environment, combined with Agency for Agricultural and Live- high yields and higher profitability. "The number of applications to control Bicudo stock Defense (Adab), which deals has dropped by almost 50% from 30 to 16 in the last four years. In the last few sea- with the transportation of bolls, sons, we also had no losses because of the pest, only punctual situations. This is due seeds and kernels of fiber. to good management and control practices,” says Antônio Carlos Araújo, the coor- Beginning in 2019, a new man- dinator of Abapa's Phytosanitary Program. In the 1980s, the pest decimated some agement and insecticide resis- 4 million hectares of cotton and has since been a constant concern in the cotton tance plan will be implemented production chain. by Abapa, in partnership with uni- The cotton beetle is a collective pest and isolated, disorderly, or limited-range versities, to control the boll weevil actions are not enough to combat it. Integrated and harmonic actions are required. and the lepdópteras (Helicoverpa, In order to align pest control measures, technologies to be adopted on farms and to spodoptera and pink caterpillar).

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THE FUND is accompanied by the coordina- tion of Fundesis to guarantee the The results come from rural proper use of the resources and credit operations of costing and in- the expected results. Fundesis allocates R$ 1.2 vestment of the associate produc- "We do not just want to invest ers of Aiba with the BNB, which the resource, but ensure that there directs the bank fees for the Fund. is, in fact, a social transformation million to social projects Individuals, legal entities and coop- and improvement of the services eratives also make donations. All provided to the population. The processes of transfer of the dona- guarantee of success lies in the tions and execution of the projects differentiated programming of the courses, based on the needs of each institution and the training of he last announcement of the Fund for the Integrated and Sus- managers, a priority for the next tainable Development of Bahia (Fundesis) recorded a historical editions", says Fundesis coordina- of health professionals in different contribution of R$1.2 million for investment in social projects tor Makena Thomé. According to specialties, we have been able to ranging from infrastructure improvement, purchase of equip- her, from the evaluative work of attend an average of 500 people ment and expansion of free service to the population to the acquisi- monitoring and measuring results, per month," says coordinator Lina tionT of new venues, clinical centers, digital rooms, dentistry, shelters it was possible to perceive an evo- Kawano. Among the investments for the elderly and nursery. In this new phase, 40 projects are selected, lution in the manager's knowledge, in infrastructure are the construc- chosen by the Fund's deliberative council, based on criteria such as in the resolution of the problems, tion of a physiotherapy room; relevance, project sustainability, transformative potential and whose as well as in the social protagonism. a fully equipped dental office; a institution has a minimum of three years of legal action and activity. "Through the partnership with Se- multipurpose space for acupunc- The institutions, which applied between August 13 to October 1, brae, we offer support and capacity ture, children's evangelization, 2018, will each receive an amount of up to R$80,000 for projects in building to institutions to manage psychological care and study. The the areas of education, social and digital inclusion, culture, preven- resources, prepare accountability, participation in different edicts still tive health, income generation and entrepreneurship, environmental disseminate knowledge about in- guaranteed the construction of a preservation and education, phytosanitary protection and sustainable ventory, leadership," he says. kitchen and bathrooms, as well as agriculture. In its 12 years of existence, Fundesis has been working on Spiritist Center, André Luiz, in reforms of medical offices for care the socioeconomic growth of the West of the State and has already Barreiras, which has become a ref- in the following areas: gastro, gen- allocated about R$3.5 million in seven official orders to 100 projects of erence in family health, “Thanks to eral practitioner, pediatrics, gyne- more than 50 institutions in 14 municipalities in the region. the Fund and the volunteer work cology and prenatal.

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ing a profession and developing a education project that reinforces tion to complying with legislation, career in a rural enterprise. public employment and income the program offers young people “Although the young appren- policies, promotes integration into an opportunity to access knowl- tice spends 10 months in vocational the work world and makes the fu- edge, to learn a profession and to Model Farm expands facilities and training to become an agricultural ture of this new generation more develop their career in a rural en- supervisor, there are no statistics promising. The rural producer, terprise. on graduates. However, we are aside from fulfilling his social func- Model Farm is located in the number of training seminars sure that this time spent at the tion, contributes to the formation Northern Barreiras Irrigation Proj- Model Farm awakens the vocation of a professional more capable of ect, 12 kilometers from Barreiras, of young people to exercise their the current demands in the labor and has undergone extensive ren- profession in the field. Of the total market. More than a legal obliga- ovation recently, increasing and ith a certain advantage in the search for their The demand came from producers in 2013, in com- of 463 young apprentices who have tion, learning is an action of social improving its level of service. The first job, young rural apprentices are being pliance with Apprenticeship Law 10.097/2000, ampli- been trained since 2013, we have responsibility and an important structure has an auditorium with a absorbed by the regional labor market and fied by Federal Decree 5.598/2005, which requires reports from rural producers and factor in promoting citizenship, as capacity of 90 people, classrooms, expanded in agriculture's culture in the com- that any company, be it industry or rural property, HR managers indicating hiring in it improves professional knowl- computer and phytosanitary lab- munities. The work of training and professional refer- hire a number of apprentices, equivalent to a mini- the area of pest monitoring, field edge and productivity in the rural oratories and crops. For the prac- Wral is carried out at the Paulo Mizote Model Farm, an mum of 5% and a maximum of 15% of its staff, whose supervision and even farm man- area,” he says. tical classes, the farm has an area initiative of the Aiba Institute (Iaiba), in partnership functions require professional training. agement. Many seek higher educa- The project offers tech- of 7.2 hectares, with 6.2 hectares with the Barreiras Rural Producers' Union (SPRB) and According to the Superintendent of the Aiba In- tion in the area of agrarian science nical-professional training, in irrigated by sprinkling, dripping or Senar/Faeb, Codevasf, Abapa, Aiba and the City Hall stitute, Helmuth Kiecköfer, the Young Apprentice in and others become entrepreneurs, 10-month modules, in soybean, micro sprinkler. of Barreiras. In just five years, the institution trained a Rural Areas, in the controlled environment of Mod- using their knowledge to leverage corn and cotton crops, applying a Responsible for the formula- total of 469 young people, between the ages of 18 and el Farm, offers vulnerable and low-income youth the the business of the family,” he says. field methodology, unique in the tion and application of pedagog- 24 years old, in the agricultural supervision course. In opportunity for their first job and of becoming "com- The program, according to him, country, that simulates the con- ical content, Senar is a very im- 2018 alone, there were 110 graduates. plete citizens”, providing access to knowledge, learn- goes far beyond technical and ventional operation on the farm in portant partner in the qualification vocational training. "It is a broad a controlled environment. In addi- of these young people. "We adapt >>

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the modules every year to meet which works on the Model Farm stitution. "From the experience of The Complex is equipped with an is worth mentioning that the facil- that the unfolding of its actions, in the demand of farmers for in- and serves as support for the re- learning at the Farm, I felt the need industrial kitchen, to attend the ities were equipped in partnership the technical, political, economic creasingly prepared professionals. gional phytosanitary program, is to deepen my studies, so I trained higher education institutions, from with Abapa and used for training and social spheres, could lead to We broadened the approach to all also used by young apprentices in agricultural techniques and the private and public network, of family farmers and training of the creation of the Institute, which cultures, focused on issues of great to broaden their knowledge, fo- joined the College of Agronomic for example, Uneb, Ufob, Fasb nutrition students in the food area. today is the strong arm of social relevance such as occupational cusing on the identification and Engineering. Now, employed, I'm and Unirb Universities, who offer Integration with fruit producers responsibility in western Bahia. safety (present in 13 of the 19 mod- monitoring of pests and plant dis- sure that I'm on the right track. I a course of study in nutrition.” A was possible through the support On September 29, 2018, Iaiba ules) and labor legislation. Taking eases. “The fully equipped space never imagined that I could be at variety of recipes are being devel- of the Association of Northern completed four years of existence, into account that the agriculture also allows for the development the forefront of such an import- oped by the students, using agri- Barreiras Producers (Aproban). and its commitment is reaffirmed of the West, as a whole, is very of research and academic activi- ant and responsible job, still a stu- cultural products as ingredients, The selection for the Young Ap- by its managers. "We were consti- technological, we implemented a ties, starting with analysis samples dent, and already assisting college such as soybean and banana. The prentice in the Rural Environment tuted to promote education and laboratory equipped with 26 com- sent to agronomy universities in students and technical schools in purpose is, among other things, to project is annual and privileges professional qualification, to align puters with basic computer class- the region. The main pests and handling insects. I consider myself encourage the reuse and full use young people who are in a situ- socio-environmental issues with es, and we created a new discipline diseases that affect soybean, corn an eternal apprentice and want to of naturally enriched foods, using ation of social vulnerability. "The the growth process, to dissemi- of Introduction to Precision Agri- and cotton crops are created in evolve in the profession. Despite them for nutritional replacement young apprentice is not a student, nate and incorporate the concept culture, where they learn, among the laboratory with artificial diets, the academic experience, I see of young people for snacks. They he is a rural employee. Those en- of sustainability, to fight against other things, how to operate ma- with examples of the three types myself working in the field, in the make bread and cookies coated rolled have a formal contract, re- poverty and to demonstrate that chinery”, details the monitor of the of spodoptera: helicoverpa, bicu- future,” anticipates Yasmin. with soybeans (20%) and banana ceive a scholarship grant and have agriculture is at the service of the Senar Young Apprentice Program, do and bedbugs", describes Iai- biomass ice cream,” explains Val- food and transportation provided,” well-being of society", emphasiz- Sunny Aron. ba’s production supervisor, Valmir COMPLEX mir Júnior. says Valmir Júnior. es the superintendent of the Insti- "I am very grateful to the pro- Júnior. The structure was support- The Complex has a broad sup- tute, Helmuth Kiecköfer. "We want The Farm also houses the Food fessors and to those who keep ed by Prodeagro and Fundeagro. port of the producers, through Iai- THE INSTITUTE to be recognized in the Matopiba Research and Processing Com- this project inclusive. It’s a unique Yasmin Maiane Bezerra, 20, ba, in addition to the partnership region for the transformational plex, with a research center for When a group of farmers experience that opened doors started at the Model Farm as a with the Bank of Brasil Foundation actions in the construction of an the development of processed founded the Association of Farm- for me. I developed profession- young apprentice and today coor- and Ufob (Federal University of environmentally correct, socially foods, with safety and preserving ers and Irrigators of Bahia (Aiba) ally, and today my work is rec- dinates the entomology and phy- Western Bahia), which contributed just and economically viable soci- the identity of regional products. 28 years ago, they never imagined ognized by other people. Each topathology laboratory of the in- to making this moment a reality. It ety," he concludes. learning experience, each practical and theoretical class was very important so that I could acquire the right knowledge and be able to apply it to my work. The Farm is extremely important not only in my life, but in that of many young people, because in addition to pre- paring for an increasingly demanding market, it also prepares us for self-knowledge. My wish is that this work would be perpetuated and extended,” says former young apprentice and current contractor of the traditional Xingu agricultural farm, Bruno Cruz.

LABORATORY Another laboratory of entomology and phytopathology,

30 | 2017/2018 | AIBA AIBA | 2017/2018 | 31 SOYBEAN PLUS SOYBEAN PLUS

n order to meet the growing mar- LEVELS OF CONFORMITY ket demand for sustainable products, enforce current legislation ITEM / YEAR 2015 2016 2017 2018 and promote greater efficiency in soybean production, the Soy Plus Socio-environmental 70% 83% 81% 83% Program promotes a transparent I Employment Contract 79% 92% 83% 85% and participatory management of Health management 65% 84% 84% 83% farms, among other things. The purpose is to train the rural producer, Work environment 64% 82% 80% 82% free of charge, with the distribution Environment and waste 81% 83% 83% 85% of materials, promotion of courses Accident prevention 76% 80% 74% 75% on health and safety at work, adap- Rural constructions 69% 72% 68% 70% tation of rural constructions, environmental regularization, field days and technical visits to monitor performance indicators. In Bahia, an important oil pro-

ducing hub, the program is co- BAHIA ordinated by Aiba. "This year we In order to guarantee the necessary ad- expanded our performance. In ad- justments in the environmental, labor and dition to the orientation and train- social areas, in each of the properties, in 2018, ing work, aimed at farmers and the team ran a total of 51 properties, 30 new rural workers, the technical visits units, covering an area of 105,000 hectares started to count on water collec- of soy. "At the time, signage boards, rural tion, for potability analysis, as well construction manuals, technical videos, doc- as a survey of the agro-meteo- umentation control files and a first aid box rological stations present on the were delivered at no cost to the farmer. Elev- farms, in order to register", empha- en publications were produced and 17 events sizes the coordinator of Soy Plus were held, including Field Days, community Bahia and environmental analyst of meetings and a series of training courses on Aiba, Samuel Leite. It is worth men- health and safety at work, construction ade- tioning that Bahia occupies the 6th quacy and new work code. The grading, first position in the national ranking of aid and fire fighting courses involved 102 par- soybean production, with a planted ticipants. 50 analyses of potability were also area of 1,600 hectares, between the carried out,” the coordinator said. In three dry and irrigated crops. years, Soy Plus Bahia assisted 210 farmers The actions are implemented and trained 612 people in the region. in close partnership with rural pro- They are evaluated by the team, sectors Soy Plus expands ducers, state and municipal gov- and important items such as: socio-envi- ernments, civil society, industry and ronmental; employment contract; health commerce, research institutions, management; workplace; environment and education and extension. The re- waste; prevention of accidents and rural con- sults achieved are the conservation structions. Periodic visits will be maintained in the State of natural resources, the governance and the expectation is that a primer on waste of productive activities and the social management (solids and effluents) will be Conservation of natural resources and social well-being of workers, rural produc- launched in the first quarter of 2019, which is welfare are priorities of the program ers and local communities. already in the process of being finalized.

32 | 2017/2018 | AIBA AIBA | 2017/2018 | 33 CULTURES CULTURES

Soybean crop registers new record of productivity and moves state economy

he growth of the sectors involved with soybeans, in terms of investments in technologies, new agricultural areas and grain processing and oil refining industries, has promoted positive results not only in operated volumes but also in employment and income generation. The region is one of the fastest growing and boosts the development of the state economy. In the 24 municipalities, 34.2% of Bahia's agri- culturalT and livestock GDP is concentrated, which represents more than a third of all the wealth produced by the sector in the state.

High quality seed production plays a large role in the results >>

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In the 2017/18 harvest, the soy- we work the fields in the best way, bean crop recorded a record of without the interference of con- planted area and productivity of 1.6 taminations by tiguera, in addition million hectares and 66 sacks per to the adequate preparation of the hectare, respectively. The produc- crop. The whole process is done tion was 6.3 million tons of oilseed, on the property: pre-cleaning, dry- which represents a 15% increase ing within the standards, cooling over the previous one. Data from and storage, up to the entrance in Aiba show that, in agriculture the beneficiation line, with spiral alone, the gross income generated passage, densimetric table, siev- by soybeans was approximately ing, cooling again and, finally, bag- R$6.5 billion. The agricultural en- ging", explains the producer. gineer and agribusiness advisor of The production of soybeans the Association of Farmers and Irri- (grains) is destined to tradings in gators of Bahia (Aiba), Luiz Stahlke, the region, such as Bunge, Cargill reveals that the best harvest ever and ADM of Brasil. Corn already supplies the market in Bahia and recorded in the region had been modern machinery, genetic im- well distributed rainfall (from Octo- still have infrastructure problems SUCCESS STORY other Northeastern states. For between 2010 and 2011, when 56 provement of seeds and increased ber to March); the flat topography today, imagine how it was back the seeds, the commercialization bags per hectare were harvested. fertility of soils," says Stahlke. and the presence of an extensive The story of the Gatto family then. We were branded as crazy serves Bahia, Mato Grosso, Mara- "The results are due to the Also, other determining factors hydrographic basin with perennial is similar to that of many who left because we wagered a lot on the nhão, Piaui and Paraná. farmer's investment in technology, were the favorable climate, with rivers in the Urucuia aquifer, mak- different regions of Brazil to go region. We started with an area of

ing irrigation possible. For the next to the Bahian cerrado in search 2,500 hectares and the first rice POTENTIAL harvest (2018/2019) it is estimated of possibilities of economic, so- plantation (1981) proved that it was that the production will be slightly cial and cultural growth, that were a privileged area for rainfall and, Bahia is an important soybean lower than 6.2 million tons. not available in their native cities. consequently, for the cultivation producer, occupying the 6th posi- The planting has already start- "In 1980, Amélio Gatto and his six of soybeans that we implemented tion in the national ranking, with an ed in the region, and producer children left Rio Grande do Sul, the following year. After 17 years, area of 1,600 hectares, in 2018, be- Daniel Gatto has allocated an area headed to western Bahia, where we founded the Sementes Oilema tween non-irrigated and irrigated of 14,500 hectares for soybean they acquired an area in the mu- and the whole family was moved crops. Since 2001, soy ranks 2nd in cultivation and 17,000 hectares nicipality of Barreiras, what is now to the region to manage the busi- the ranking of the main agricultur- for the next harvest (2018/2019) the Placas region. There, the chil- ness", reports producer and busi- al products produced in the State. rotations. "In the 2017/2018 har- dren began the agricultural activi- nessman Daniel Gato. In the Western region, the product vest, we obtained a 10% increase, ties, while Amelio returned to the He still remembers that the occupies more than 65% of the to- with a productivity of 76.5 sacks south, where part of the family first seeds were produced for their tal cultivated area, with 58% of the per hectare of soybeans and a stayed and, from there, he gave own use. Soon after, they were Northeast's production. Soybeans production of 1.102 million sacks the necessary support. As things shared with neighbors and friends move the economy by selling 40% of grain and 800 thousand sacks went well in Bahia, Amelio and and, after organizing the produc- of the soy in natura to industries of commercialized seeds. Already his wife, Eulalia reunited with their tion, conducting researches and in the region and exporting 60% the corn yield has reached 176 children, moving permanently to tests, exchanging information and of production to countries such as sacks per hectare,” he celebrates. western Bahia in January 1998,” experiences, the business gained China and the Netherlands. According to him, the climate was narrates one of the heirs. it’s current dimension. The high Production is concentrated in very favorable and with little inci- "It was very hard work to make standard of seeds is defined by the municipalities of Barreiras, Luís dence of pests.” We did not have these lands suitable for large-scale good planting behavior and by the Eduardo Magalhães, São Desider- adverse periods, with prolonged cultivation, as we were 176 kilome- quality of germination at harvest. io, Formosa do Rio Preto, Corren- summertime drought or rainy ters from the city center and the "The production of seeds deserves tina, Riachão das Neves, Jaboran- season drought. We had a good logistics for purchasing necessary important care, from planting to di, Cocos, Baianópolis and Serra balance of sunlight,” he describes. items was very complicated. If we harvesting. To ensure good quality, do Ramalho.

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Production in the region is polar- non-irrigated areas, the variety rigated areas, but the climate has ized by the municipalities of Cor- used as a choice of safrinha and not helped, which discourages the Bean growers want rentina, Jaborandi, Luís Eduardo crop rotation, because it is prof- producer. "In 2018, we lost the first Magalhães and São Desidério, be- itable and low cost, beans of the crop, at the beginning of the year, ing encircled in the last agricultur- Gurutuba type, commonly known due to heavy rains. Of the 25 thou- al frontier of the country, that is, in as green beans, cowpeas or string sand sacks produced on the farm, higher profitability the Matopiba complex, so named beans. The legume is planted more than 70% had to be used for being at the confluence of the mainly after soybeans. According for animal feed. We are already states of Maranhão, Tocantins, Pi- to Aiba's agribusiness adviser, Luiz collecting the 2019 harvest (Jan- n indispensable ingredient in Brazilian cuisine, beans are the main source of auí and Bahia, totaling around 57.7 Stahlke, the area planted with the uary) and the race is against the vegetable protein and energy, with a low fat content. But until it reaches the million hectares. The region does grain in this harvest was 40,000 weather before the now dry cli- consumer's table, the grain makes the difference in the field, generating em- not cover all of the four states, hectares, with an average yield of mate will compromise the quality ployment and income and making Brazil the second largest supplier of food in being constituted by the South 20 sacks per hectare. Bahia is the of the grains. Despite the adver- the world. of Maranhão, East of Tocantins, fifth largest national producer and sities, the crop adapts well to the AThe national production of beans was approximately 3.4 million tons, the same vol- South of Piauí and West of Bahia. the largest in the Northeast, with region and we produce the best ume of the previous crop, in a total area of 3.24 million hectares, an increase of 2% In areas irrigated by central 281.6 thousand tons of beans. The beans, with different color and over the last year’s crop (or 64 thousand hectares) (CONAB, 2018). pivots, farmers in the West plant West alone is responsible for 78 size. The price is also reasonable,” The West of Bahia, a reference in large-scale production and applied technology, the carioca beans (Pérola), which thousand tons of grain. says Viccini. also stands out in the production of grain. It is one of the few locations where it is pos- occupied an area of about 10 thou- At Irineu Viccini's farm in Bar- It is a very small market, re- sible to expand the area without the further felling of forests, thanks to the recovery sand hectares with an average reiras, beans have a prominent stricted and conditioned to the of degraded pastures and the greater integration of farming and livestock systems. production of 50 bags/ha. In the place in the irrigated and non-ir- law of supply and demand for >>

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pricing. In 2016, a sac of carioca beans cost up to R$600.00 because MANAGEMENT soil preparation, weed control, resources and their regulation, ity of the product and its com- of the low supply of the product. In November 2018, it was deval- diseases and pests, irrigation, har- cropping conditions, bean growth mercial value. The Pérola variety, Because it is a crop that is high- ued, to R$90.00 and, in January 2019, the same product is costing vesting, sorting and packaging. habit and good soil preparation. which stands out for having high ly dependent on nutrients and R$240.00, a value considered very good by producers. The produce In order to obtain good quality Of the production stages, har- productivity and for being widely water, and susceptible to pest and is sold in the free markets of the domestic market and also goes to of the beans, in the harvesting and vesting is one of the most import- accepted in the market, is a plant disease attacks, all factors of pro- other states, such as Ceará and Pernambuco. mechanized systems, it is neces- ant and, when poorly carried out, of indeterminate growth, that is, duction must be carefully consid- "We have beans all year, in three harvests. Carioquinha (carioca sary to plan and use the equip- can lead to loss of grain, breaking at the time of harvest, you can ered by the producer. Good man- bean) is still the most accepted in the market and is a great price. ment correctly. A good harvest of machines or mechanical dam- find on the same plant dry pods, agement practices need to involve The problem is that, at the moment, we do not have the crop. It depends, among other factors, age, and lead to darkening or pods at the ideal point and green the different stages of production, does not produce very well in the dry season and we usually plant on the state of conservation of "barreling" of the grains, thus in- pods. This makes harvesting a ranging from the choice of culti- it in irrigated areas between May and June, harvesting from August the machines, knowledge of their terfering decisively with the qual- complex process. vars, sowing, liming, fertilization, to September. The other varieties, also resistant, also have a 90- day cycle and are planted in November, with harvest scheduled for January,” explains producer Irineu Viccini. The farmer has been a pioneer in the cultivation of grain in the region since 1992 and has allocated 900 hectares (30% of his property) for the three varieties: Gurutuba or string beans (with a yield of 25 sacks per hectare), black-eyed peas (30 sacks per hectare) and Carioca or pinto beans (50 sacks per hectare). Aiba's vice president, Luiz Antônio Pradella, confirms that appreciation of prices has little effect on farmers' incomes. "To get a better price, producers are stocking the beans. Despite the wide production possibilities, the commercial and nutritional value of beans depreciated rapidly after harvest, losing its quality after two months of storage. Hence the need for producers to also invest in air-conditioned sheds, which act as a sort of cold room for this bean to maintain quality for a longer period, reaching a new price trend, but also increasing farm costs,” Pradella explains. The irrigators had better results, but also higher costs. Under the pivot, it produces up to 55 sacks per hectare, but the variable cost rises to R$5,676.43 per hectare. Aiba suggests that there is a safe investment in less impacting and yet sustainable activities, from the point of view of crop rotation, especially in the irrigated area, with green manure. "Beans are another possibility to work with, but the crop is quite ungrateful to the producer, with high and low prices in very short periods. Wheth- er by the volume, which impacts directly, or by the short life span of the food. The fact is that often the producers can not enjoy these good moments and end up selling well below average. What we ad- vise is that there is not a very large destination of the area, reducing the risks,” warns Pradella. There is still a vast field to be explored with the crop in the region. "Possibly, the adoption of new technologies, greater efficiency in the management of the productive system and greater capillarity with the market, will allow producers not only to achieve greater profitability, but also to experiment, taking into account the prin- ciples of sustainability, that suggests socioeconomic and environmental equilibrium", evaluates the farmer, Viccini.

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ing for the greatest coffee productivities of Brazil. To boost the sector, the region counts on the performance of the most important suppliers of machines and necessary supplies; financial agents; large exporters, stimulated by the presence of the port of Salvador, 900 km away; along with the organization sector through important organiza- tions such as Aiba and the Association of Coffee Growers of Western Bahia, among other entities. In the 2017/2018 harvest, production of the Cerrado reached 530,000 benefited sacks, in an area of 11,500 hectares, with an average yield of 49 sacks per hectare. The president of Abacafé, José do Espirito Santo, points out that although the total area remains around 11.5 thousand hectares, the area actually in production has been reduced to 10.7 thousand. "The drought, in recent years, has led to a readjustment in the planning of processing industries in the long run. To meet the market, we had to eradicate a few of the coffee plants,” explains "Zé do Café”, who is also a producer. The forecast for the 2018/2019 harvest is a slightly lower production of 400 thousand sacks. According to him, it is a normal condition for the crop, the biennial, larger production one year and a smaller one the next year. The production of the region is polarized by the municipalities of Luís Eduardo Magalhães, Barreiras, São De- sidério, Cocos and Jaborandi, which combined bring together 27 producers. The practice of sustainable coffee growing makes coffee in the West even more competitive in demanding markets. The main destination is the international market (90%), more precisely countries like Germany and the USA. The product already leaves benefited from the farms and the general warehouses, destined for leasant taste, with excellent sweetness, good acid- the main tradings of the region. A good quality ity and a slightly fruity and floral aroma. guarantees a paid value of R$500 per sack, gen- This is the differential of the Arabica coffee pro- erating an annual income of R$265 million. De- duced in the Western region of Bahia and appreci- spite high mechanization, employability in coffee ated in such a demanding international market. The unal- plantations reaches an average of six people per Ptered qualities of the product are guaranteed depending 100 hectares throughout the year. "The social Cerrado fine coffee is exported on the dry climate, during harvesting, avoiding undesir- aspects, which involve the employees, are ful- able fermentations. In addition to the natural conditions of filled adequately, promoting health and safety at this coffee region, the producers invigorated the produc- work, in parallel with the appreciation of human to Germany and the USA tion process through the investment in technology, allow- well-being," emphasizes the producer. >>

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SUSTAINABILITY and April. In the dry period, com- pensation occurs through irrigation, The social and environmental which has a great availability of un- aspects maintain standards of ad- derground water or surface water, justments according to Brazilian of one of the largest aquifers in Bra- legislation and recommendations zil, Urucuia. This dry period gener- of several international certifica- ates a great contribution to the har- tions, especially Utz Certified. In this vest and post-harvest operations, way it is possible to align productiv- since it does not have rainfall. These ity and sustainability. conditions, together with the busi- "This dynamic and modern pro- ness profile of coffee growers from duction is allied to environmental traditional coffee growing regions in preservation and monitoring. The Brazil, make it possible to create a productive areas are integrated to new found scenario. the areas of environmental preservation, maintaining the local flora BAHIA and fauna. Areas of Legal Reserve and Permanent Preservation are The growth of coffee production respected at the farms, along with in the state of Bahia has created sev- the constant monitoring of the use eral investment opportunities. The of water by the competent environ- spatial distribution of the activity mental agencies,” he concludes. occurs in three poles of production: Planalto, Cerrado and Atlântico - POTENTIAL characterized by cultivating distinct species, demonstrating differentiat- The natural conditions of the ed technological levels and produc- region are important in all the facing various types of beverages. tors favorable to coffee cultivation Data from the State Depart- in the Cerrado. The flat topogra- ment of Agriculture (Seagri) show phy allows mechanization in all the that Bahia's coffee industry demon- productive stages. The risk of frost, strates excellent competitive ad- which scares coffee growers from vantages for the conquest of more other states, is non-existent, and demanding markets, especially in the brightness is constant through- the production of specialty coffees, out the year. Well defined rainfall increasingly sought throughout the seasons, with no occurrence in the world, thus consolidating the mar- harvest period, is another positive ket for specialty coffees. point attracting investors from all The Bahian industry has the over the world. potential to work with blends for Coffee is produced under con- the most demanding consumer ditions of average temperatures markets, supplying them with local ranging between 22 and 26º C., with raw materials. In Bahia, the activity no risk of frost, nor interruptions in presents a generation of approxi- the development of coffee during mately 250 thousand jobs through- the year due to the little variation out the coffee agribusiness produc- in temperature. The average rain- tion chain, with a production of over fall of about 1,600 mm is distributed 2 million bags. between the months of October

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productivity, preventing it from being unprotected. My involving nutrition and pest control. "Post-harvest use of expectation is to increase the yield of the next crop, soybeans may further reduce costs, compared to a sin- which in this case is soybeans, by five bags per hectare, gle summer crop. However, in agronomic terms crop ro- corresponding to an increase of 300 kg per hectare in tation will always be recommended. In the region, there productivity", estimates the producer, whose farm has is a frequent repetition of soybean crop over the years. a modern integrated management operational system, Therefore, the introduction of millet and sorghum can capable of producing good weekly results. bring several advantages, especially when these crops "With this tool, we have real knowledge about pro- are allied to non tilling techniques,” he emphasizes. ductivity, as well as the cost and value paid by each Crops have an immense potential for accumulation crop, in real time," he explains. "In the irrigated area, as of vegetable mass for mulching, with good nutrient re- well as in the non-irrigated area, the work of rotation, cycling. "The production of sorghum has greater poten- the use of adapted technologies and varieties is of ut- tial than corn. Millet accumulates less mass, but in con- most importance. With efficient management, we were ditions with a deficit of water and low fertility, sorghum able to make it possible to plant soybean in more pro- and millet have advantages,” he concludes. ductive times", he concludes. The expert and professor of Agronomy at Uneb THE FORMULA FOR SUCCESS (Barreiras campus), Danilo Gusmão, agrees that the Sorghum and millet are There are many soil conservation practices, which producer is on the right path. According to him, resis- are less and less impacting on the environment, favor- tance to drought, higher in millet compared to sorghum, ing biota and giving greater productivity in situations alternatives in the production greatly increases the area of aptitude in the region, and such as facing the summer or inclement weather. There production costs are also 70% lower relative to corn, >> of animal fodder and silage

Low cost of production, high strength and productivity are some of the advantages

roducers in western Bahia are investing in the use of short-cycle annual forages, such as millet and sorghum, as alternatives in the dry season, silage production or the incorporation of areas used for agriculture that could be idle to the productive process . In addition to use on the property, the growing demand of the processing industries for new food alternatives, animal and human, also encourage the production of grains. PFor farmers who do not want to risk planting corn, a more climate-sensitive crop, sorghum has been a great choice. The problem is that the price paid this year is not pleasing and there are people exchanging sorghum for millet, a cover crop for soil protection, whose grain has good marketing potential that is also much sought after by the industry. A 60 kg bag of sorghum prices for R$26.00 while that of millet is R$31.00, with prices that are always below that of maize. On the other hand, the lower cost of production of these crops may result in a positive financial balance of the crops. There are many benefits of planting ground cover crops, in terms of high productivity, in dry and irrigated areas, as well as pest resistance and adverse conditions. On the property of Jarbas Bergamaschi, in the municipality of Luís Eduardo Magalhães, with a commercial area of soybean and corn, sorghum and wheat used to be planted as the second succession crop. "It was the first time we invested in millet, in a fully irrigated area, for ground cover and increased

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are many techniques adopted for sult is a healthier and higher yielding which need to verticalize the pro- es and compacted in silos to serve plant coverages, but they have a sin- crop. This is good for the producer duction of grains in animal products, as a strategic forage reserve for cat- gle purpose: the increase of organic and even better for the environ- can be compensating. Regarding tle in the dry season of the year. In matter, allowing a series of advan- ment,” he adds. the potential for regrowth, he clari- addition, a new business emerges: tages for the producer and nature, It is a practice accessible to all fies: "For grain production only one the sale of silage in bags, a practical with emphasis on the reduction of who want it. “The greatest invest- cut is made. For fodder, production way to meet small creations. Millet is the impact of chemical products ment is in knowledge and in the can yield up to three cuts. Normally, still little known for this purpose. used in the production system. breaking of paradigms. You need to silage is prepared with the first and Uneb professor and doctor in Adept at the Direct Planting fall in love a bit because the operat- second cuts (the second gives 50% the field of animal production, Dani- System (SPD), without soil rotation ing is a bit more difficult compared of the first) and the third one is for lo Gusmão, evaluates that many or crop rotation, Luiz Pradella sees, to the clean soil. The benefits that direct grazing", points out the expert characteristics make these grains year after year, the positive results the straw brings more than makes in animal nutrition, zoo technician good alternatives for the feeding of in his crop, with commercial produc- up for the challenge of the process,” and professor of Veterinary Medi- cattle and birds. "In terms of nutrient tion of soybean and corn, located in advises Pradella. cine at Uneb, Danilo Gusmão. composition and energy content, the region of Coaceral, in Formosa sorghum and millet have higher do Rio Preto. "By keeping the green PHYTOSANITARY LIVESTOCK INTEGRATION protein levels than maize, although cover on the ground, the plants will they have slightly lower energy con- creasing the possibility of the plant- ures poor soil). This management Research from Embrapa reveals An alternative to degraded areas recycle the nutrients that have been tent. Millet, specifically, is known for ing window, being able to enjoy the not only improves the soil, but also that millet has several benefits, infor pasture are the integrated sys- applied. The crop rotation provides its balance between amino acids,” best season," says Pradella. helps to deter rainwater, thus avoid- cluding nutrient recycling and the tems between agriculture and live- a greater difference of root sys- explains Gusmão, highlighting the According to him, the combina- ing the drainage of much of this wa- control and reduction of the soil's stock, which have been proposed as tems in that environment,” explains specifics of each. tion of these techniques allows for ter that causes erosion, in addition pest population, especially the nem- a way to establish more sustainable Pradella. There are more than 15 It is worth mentioning that cat- the structuring of the soils (opening to contributing to the replenishing of atode. "Every rotation of crops brings production, enabling the mainte- harvests with the operational straw, tle and poultry use the nutrients of of the pores), which helps in the im- the aquifers. advantages, but when it comes to nance of livestock in areas already without soil turning, which made the food in a completely different way. provement of its level. The use of "Only 1% of carbon is capable of millet, nematode control is a great consolidated and reducing the pres- change in the concept of area open- "Experiments demonstrate optimal such technologies allows sandy soils, storing more than 27 liters of water advantage, because it is a plant with a sure to open new areas. Integrated ing possible, he said. rates of substitution of maize for sor- also called light soils, to be used for per square meter, giving greater low reproductive factor of these mi- systems, on the other hand, intensi- Following the soybean crop, the ghum and millet, without a decrease the production of grains, fibers, en- productivity in the face of summer croorganisms,” says Uneb research- fy animal production and generate farmer plants sorghum or millet, in animal performance, which leads ergy materials, sugarcane, silvicul- or inclement weather, because the er and expert, Danilo Gusmão. greater need for food. with the main objective being the to a preference of several producers ture and cultivated pastures. In the plant supports more sunny days," According to him, the yield of Among ranchers in western Ba- formation of the biomass; and in the for these grains, which increase the Matopiba region, 20% of the territo- argues Pradella, who is also a agri- sorghum and millet is lower than hia, sorghum has gained increasing corn crop, which corresponds to a profit in the production of meat and ry is made up of this type of soil. cultural technician and postgradu- that of corn, but the lower cost and popularity in the form of silage, when quarter of the area, is rotated with milk. For poultry, one must be care- A true “formula for success” has ate in agribusiness strategies. He still market opportunities in the region, the whole plant is cut into small piec- brachiarias of several species for ensured a significant improvement estimates a 20 percent increase in ful, especially when talking about consortium. It still uses crotalarias to in the quality of the land, improv- productivity from these adversities. sorghum. Some varieties have an reduce nematodes and fix nitrogen ing the profile of the soil and trans- "It is our savings, the best agricultur- anti-nutritional substance known as from the air in the soil. "By preceding forming the Cerrado into a region al insurance the farmer can have," tannin. For cattle it does not have the corn crop, we will stop using a that is farmable. In addition to di- he says. direct problems, but for poultry it is good part of the industrialized urea rect operating cost gains, there are According to the Director of Wa- necessary to use grains of varieties nitrogen, reducing the dose of the incalculable benefits to nature, as ter and Irrigation of the Association with low tannin. Both sorghum and chemical fertilizer by 30%,” he says. such practices that are environmen- of Farmers and Irrigators of Bahia millet, because they have lower en- A well-done rotation system, tally friendly because they can trap (Aiba), the agronomy engineer José ergy contents than corn, may com- with the use of less impacting prac- more carbon dioxide in the land. In Cisino Lopes, the imprisonment of promise the performance of some tices, promotes better soil condition 10 years, Pradella managed to meet CO2 in the land favors the plants so categories if the percentage of sub- and, consequently, increases pro- the environmental agenda and add that they have more access to water stitution is integral. This is especially ductivity. "We improved the con- 1% of organic matter to his property, and nutrients, starting with the de- noted in poultry farming. The laying ditions of the corn's roots, and so totaling 2.5%, a considerable result velopment a stronger root system. birds have lower requirements, al- the soybeans will benefit from that when compared to the 0.7% to 1.5% "With higher quality soil and well lowing for a higher percentage of modified environment, and also in- variation in the West (which config- developed and deeper roots, the re- inclusion in the diets,” he explains.

48 | 2017/2018 | AIBA AIBA | 2017/2018 | 49 CULTURES CULTURES Cotton: Bahia's white gold The profitability of the crop benefits producers and workers in the region

uality, traceability, sustainable practices, standard and volume are some of the factors that make Brazil stand out in the international cotton scene, making it one of the largest exporters of the fiber worldwide. In addition to the numer- ous competitive advantages that are available to investors, in someQ producing states, such as Bahia, potential growth in the entire production chain is identified. The forecast for growth for the 2018/2019 harvest is 25% in the planted area of cotton in Bahia. The Bahian Association of Cotton Producers (Abapa) estimates that cotton growers should allocate a total area of approximately 329.4 thousand hectares to the crop, 316.9 thousand in the West, and 12.4 thousand in Southwest Bahia. This increase demonstrates the farmers' opti- mism with the crop, which in the last harvest (2017/2018) ended in mid-September, and guaranteed a gross profitability of R$4.3 billion and a record average productivity of 320 arrobas/hectare. The total production was 1.270 million tons of cotton (seed and raw), in an area of 263.692 thousand hectares. Bahia is the second largest producer of fiber in Brazil, trailing behind Mato Grosso only. >>

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"We know that it is a bit difficult need to be ready for it. Farmers GENERATION OF phy and Statistics (IBGE), agribusi- In agribusiness, the income gener- in addition to offering adequate to maintain the next harvest, but have to have time for maturity EMPLOYMENT AND INCOME ness in the West of Bahia account- ated surpasses that of other sec- moisture and light. "Cotton estab- based on the weather forecast to join the projects. What we are ed for 49% of all jobs generated tors of the economy. The worker lishes very well in the region and Cotton is a crop that provides and the increase in planted area, proposing now is the organiza- in the region, while in Brazil the received, in 2018, on average about the climate is very favorable, with a expertise and pays the best wages I think we will have the largest tion of the long-term process,” average sector far below, about R$1,816.50. In the same period, the very well defined rainfall period and in the field compared to the others. cotton production in the state of explains Zanella. For this, Aiba 37%. Data from the State Plan- cotton crop paid an average salary suitable rainfall dynamics. There In addition, farm sustainability pro- Bahia. Farmers did their part, in- has created production chain di- ning Department (Seplan) and the of R$2,444.40. When we add the are short rain cycles, followed by grams provide legal employment vesting in equipment, technology rectorates to unlock important Superintendent of Economic and salary to the cost of maintenance dry periods, where the cotton ends and benefits to the worker, such as and soil improvement, stream- industry bottlenecks. Approxi- Social Studies of Bahia (Sei) show of the worker on the farm and so- up having enough light and this dy- health and safety at work, housing, lined their production processes mately 74 processing plants are that the stock of formal employ- cial fees, the average income gen- namic does not lead to contamina- food, living and leisure structures. and this will be reflected in in- currently installed in the region, ment in agribusiness in the region erated upwards of R$5,400.00. tion by pathogenic microorganisms According to the Ministry of creased productivity,” says Aba- 40 of which are active, in full op- is approximately 25 thousand jobs. The wage floor of the agricultural (diseases). With more photosynthe- Labor and Employment (MTE) and pa's president, Júlio Busato. eration. worker exceeds the highest floor of sis, we also do not subject the crop the Brazilian Institute of Geogra- For the implantation of ben- commerce and the minimum wage to water stress,” argues producer eficiaries and industrialization, established by the government. César Busato. the state has a variety of items Currently, it is estimated that "So the averages of non-irrigat- to produce and a strategic loca- another 4,000 direct jobs are be- ed cotton in the West of Bahia are tion, a short distance from other ing generated in 40 cotton plants considered the best in the world. consumer states in the North- established in the West of Bahia. Compared to soybeans, cotton has east and Central West, such as: With the increase in production a higher value added, generates Ceará, Pernambuco, the Federal and planted area, the number of a large volume of jobs, four times District, Goiás and Minas Gerais. jobs offered by the cotton produc- more, and a turnover three times The region is cut by the federal tion chain should increase. higher per hectare,” he says. highway BR-020/242, which links Government policies also play The scheduled harvest for the Barreiras to Salvador, in addition an important role in the develop- dry season is favorable for the pro- to BR-242, which links Bahia to ment of Bahia's cotton production. duction of the good white feather. Tocantins, which facilitates transit One of them is the Cotton Culture Western cotton from Bahia has fi- during all 12 months of the year. Incentive Program in the Western ber type 41-4 to 21-2, length 1.1/16 to The cotton seed has a guaran- part of Bahia - Proalba, which grants 1.1/4 and micronaire ranging from teed market in the Northeast re- the producer up to 50% of ICMS due 3.5 to 4.2 (resistance above 28 gram gion for animal consumption and on the marketing of the product in force tex), placing it among the best oil production. Currently, Brazil the domestic market, provided that in the country. Data from the State is the second largest exporter of it meets the pre-established quality Department of Agriculture (Sea- cotton in the world, behind the criteria. Of this 50%, 10% is destined gri) show that production costs are United States. to the Fund for the Development of around US$2.40 per hectare, with According to the president of Agribusiness of Cotton - Fundeagro, a yield of US$400 per hectare, for Aiba, Celestino Zanella, the ab- which invests the money collect- producers with a productivity of sence of mixed industries (grain ed in research, health defense and more than 270 arrobas per hectare, and stone) in the region com- marketing. which can be surpassed in irrigated promises the value added in the plantations, whose productivity can cotton crop. "When the traders POTENTIAL reach 350 arrobas per hectare. came to the West, cotton growers Cotton production in the state is Large extensions of flat and still did not focus on industrial de- mostly in the municipalities of São formed lands in the vast major- velopment, many were still pay- Desidério, Formosa do Rio Preto, Luís ity, for red-yellow latosols with ing for their land, they had other Eduardo Magalhães, Barriers, Corren- clay content being 15% and 45%, priorities. Agribusiness has to be tina, Riachão das Neves, Jaborandi, facilitate cultivation mechanical a thought out process, continu- Cocos, Baianópolis and Santana. harvesting in the western region, ous and progressive, and people

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now is to receive recognition of the did soil sampling and invested in available for irrigation; natural dry- crop through the Ministry of Agri- fertigation, direct soil fertilization. ing (it uses a solar stove); rainfall culture (Map) ordinance, indicating To recover the old plants, I used throughout a six-month period, the fruit for the region and making the grafting technique, and I re- from October to March (if it does specific financing options possible, planted the area (80%) with new, not rain some months, there is among other things,” he points out. self-produced and self-compatible the possibility of irrigation), and In the arena of fruit business, there plants, that is, ones that pollinate can induce production in a month is still the banana, in larger scale, in each other. Ideal for the produc- that has little supply of cocoa in addition to mango, grapes, citrus tion of fine cocoa", reports Farias, the market; rainfall index of 800 to and even pitaya. who has recently added in the 1,200 millimeters; dry season, with The producer Antelmo Farias, production of nibs. A total of three low humidity; absence of major of the Estância Solaris farm, in the varieties are adapted and two new, pests such as Witch's Broom and district of Riachão das Neves, Val- being tested on the property. "I'm Dead Rot, which can not withstand ley region, when acquiring proper- very optimistic. For me, it will be the low humidity (cold and dry cli- ty in 2016, had to perform the large the cocoa of the Cerrado, with very mate),” details Antelmo Farias. Ac- task of soil correction, but he does high productivity,” celebrates the cording to him, the harvest should not regret having invested in cocoa producer. Already in the first year be done in a dry period, when the partnered with coconut. Native of of production, the 13-hectare prop- plant metabolizes more and the the municipality of Ipiaú, he knew erty reached 800 arrobas of cocoa. fruits are less astringent, which is the cultural practices of traditional The producer still lists many ideal for the production of a su- cocoa, with seven to eight meters advantages that make the West- perior cocoa.” From April to Sep- of height, and began to test varie- ern region competitive for the tember comes irrigation and the ties to adapt to the region, arriving production of fine chocolate. "Flat harvest. Already the rainy season at the selection of three types, with lands, which favor mechanization is excellent to do the crop treat- a maximum height of 2 to 3 meters (85% of its production is mecha- ments,” he advises. and high productivity. "I learned to nized) and arenaceous soils with For a rational use of water, the The cocoa crop is the new prune down and clean, I frequently good drainage; good quality water, orientation is the abundant use of organic matter in the soil, avoiding loss by evapotranspiration. "This is wager for diversification of another advantage of the Coconut Consortium. To conserve moisture and reduce water consumption, we make a 15-centimeter cover fruit growing in the West with cocopit, a type of soil, made from coconut shell powder. There are also producers who chose to reproduce the Atlantic nterested in opening up new markets, family and business irrigators from West- Forest in their irrigated areas, cre- ern Bahia are investing heavily in the fruit-growing chain, diversifying into crops ating a balanced environment, but and associations that were unthinkable for the region in that past. Who would have focused on small-scale, traditional thought that, in the land of grains and fibers, it would be possible to plant cocoa un- and non-mechanized production. der the shade of a coconut tree, to produce fine chocolate and nibs? The new wager in In the activity 18 years ago, in the Ithe Valley region has already yielded good results and the recognition of the Executive region, Antônio Rosival Veloso Committee of the Cocoa Plan - Ceplac, an agency of the Ministry of Agriculture (Map), decided to flee from the interme- which already guides the production of seedlings in the region. diaries and implanted, on his four According to the director of Water and Irrigation of Aiba, agronomist Cisino Lopes, hectares, a consortium system of the activity of cocoa farming is one of the most promising for the region. "With the production of cocoa with banana. approval of reports from the main reference organization, the producer's expectation With much longing for the fam- >>

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ily he left Ilheus, he brought many vests per year, suitable lands and varieties of seedlings from the Bio water resources for irrigation, con- of the perimeter and representa- Factory to the Valley and today he solidated and structured export tive of the entity, Cicero Tavares. produces his own. "I offer multiple hubs. Added to Bahian production From a natural selection of crops, varieties here, which guarantee are the high productivity indexes the production of bananas began me the acidity necessary for the in the irrigated areas, with a post- to be integrated with manioc and production of fine quality choco- harvest structure, fruit quality and pasture, as well as other cultures late" says Veloso. conformity certifications adopted on a smaller scale. by world markets, which make The perimeter is subdivided INCENTIVES the activity strongly attractive, to- into family lots, up to 7 hectares, gether with the strategic territo- and business, from 15 to 50 hec- Brazilians are among the larg- rial location of the state for flow of tares, as well as independent est chocolate consumers in the production. IBGE data show that farmers who joined the project. world (fifth place), and some initia- Bahia is the second largest pro- "Taking into account the breadth of tives at the federal level promise ducer of fresh fruit and 3rd larg- areas, the low occupancy and the to double cocoa production, which est exporter, trailing behind states rational use of water, we have a still does not meet the growing such as Ceará and Rio Grande do great potential for growth and high demand of the industry. The ex- Norte (2016). appreciation of the land," says the pectation of the Ministry of Ag- As an investment opportunity, manager. The North Barreiras Pe- riculture, Livestock and Supply the State presents potential for rimeter has an approximate area - Map - is to increase production the implantation of agro-industries of 2,800 hectares and occupation, by 50% by 2023, reaching more of concentrated juices, various with irrigated lots, on 1,621 hec- than 300 thousand tons and in 10 sweets, fruit pulps, candied fruits, tares. Each lot receives pressur- years, this increase should be at in addition to the ever increasing ized water, with supply 20 hours a 100%. The country's production is demand for fruits for export and day, and commercial points. estimated at 180 thousand tons of for domestic consumption. In the In accordance with the sustain- cocoa beans, and the chain han- national scenario, data from Abra- able growth policy of the region, dled R$25 billion in 2018. The sec- frutas and CNA show that, in the from the rational use of water, tor is responsible for 180 thousand fruit market, Brazil is the third larg- fruit and poultry or cattle), in a Another 975 hectares are planted of Barreiras there are more than the perimeter has adopted some direct jobs. est producer of fruit, with an esti- general way. This training for this with citrus. The watermelon culture 70 lots producing banana. Data measures of control and optimi- Among the incentives are the mated production of 33.3 billion type of work is already being done is also considerable, with an area of from the Association of Banana zation of the resource. "What has federal government's ABC pro- tons in 2017 and uses 16% of the at Model Farm,” says Zanella. 1,800 hectares. Zanella explains that Producers - Aproban reveal that been noticed in the last five years is gram, which provides credit for Brazilian agricultural labor force. the productivity versus income re- 470 hectares of the perimeter is in- a significant drop in the flow of the low-carbon agriculture. In this har- The president of Aiba, Celesti- POTENTIAL OF lationship is completely different in tended for banana cultivation, 251 Rio Grande, aquifer Urucuia and, in vest alone, R$2 billion in credit will no Zanella, evaluates that fruit pro- THE CERRADO the rain-fed and irrigated regions. hectares of the silver dwarf variety order not to compromise the oper- be allocated for producers who duction plays an extraordinary role "Superlatively, 1 hectare irrigated in and 219 hectares for the nanica. ation of the irrigated perimeter, we invest in sustainable techniques The Western region has all the in the diversification of the West- the Valley, can represent up to 20 "In 2018, the perimeter recorded are adopting an emergency meas- with fewer emissions of gases. The requirements to produce quality ern region and, when the study of hectares in the Cerrado. A soybean an approximate production of 15.2 ure, reducing the supply by two objective is to balance the mar- and quantity for export. Data from the Water Potential is ready, there crop, with a high productivity of thousand tons of bananas, gener- hours and encouraging differen- ket, increasing production, in the Aiba show that the fruit production will be a considerable increase of 80 sacks per hectare, at a price of ating a revenue of R$12.2 million. tiation of rates. Those who irrigate planted or degraded areas of the of the Cerrado of Bahia currently production capacity in the Valley R$70.00, for example, has a turno- The maximum productivity can in the morning pay a higher price Atlantic Forest, with sustainability occupies an area of 3.9 thousand region. "With training, the small ver of R$5.6 thousand per hectare. reach, depending on the size of than those who irrigate at night,” and meet the growing demand of hectares irrigated under central producers will be able to develop While in the Valley, 1 hectare of the property and technology im- explains Cicero Tavares. "Other the chocolate industries. pivot. Of this total, 788 hectares not only the fruit growth, generat- banana, of the correct variety and plemented, up to 50 tons per hec- measures adopted are the con- It is worth mentioning that the are destined to the cultivation of ing the possibility of industrializa- produced at the right time, can tare for the silver dwarf type and stant monitoring of individual con- prospects for expansion of tropical papaya, with predominance of the tion of the leftovers, but also fish generate an income of more than up to 100 tons per hectare for nan- sumption and the awareness work fruit production in Bahia are excel- Formosa variety. Almost 20% of farming, poultry farming and hor- R$80,000 per year. ica", states the person in charge of of producers and the surrounding lent due to, among other factors, the papaya harvested in the state tifrutigranjeiros (mix of vegetables, Just in the northern perimeter the operation and maintenance community," he concludes. the possibility of two or more har- comes from the Western region.

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Producers implement agroforestry systems to increase income and diversify production

ith approximately 700 thousand hectares purposes in the last five years. On the contrary, it has planted in Bahia, mainly with eucalyptus, the reduced by 56%, from approximately 52 thousand forest-based sector contributes substantially hectares (2012) to 23 thousand hectares in 2018. Pro- to the positive balance of trade in the State, ductivity in the region is also below average, varying ranking third in exports, with external sales in the or- from 21 to 23 cubic meters per hectare per year. Re- Wder of US$1.27 billion. At the national level, this comes search shows that there is a year-to-year stockpile, just behind the sale of soybeans, meat and sugar and with no replenishment. alcohol industry, according to FIEB data. The country According to forestry engineer and professor, leads in forestry productivity, with an average of 35.7 Moisés Pedreira, several reasons have led farmers in cubic meters per hectare per year. the region not to reform the cut areas, nor to add new sification of production leads pro- According to the executive director of the Ba- areas to the existing ones. "The main reason was the The multiple use of planted are the planting of eucalyptus with ducers to lower economic risks, hia Association of Forest Based Companies (Abaf), decimation of rapidly developing plantations, during wood is the alternative, and pro- sorghum, millet, gurutuba beans not to mention the high profitabil- Wilson Andrade, the industry has leveraged several a long dry season (2012 to 2017), associated with the ducers are already convinced that and even soybean, still with an im- ity of the sector, with competitive other segments that demand wood in their produc- lack of adequate management in forestry projects, diversification needs to be invest- pact on the economic return, be- credit lines," concludes Andrade. tion processes, such as construction, pulp and paper, discouraging producers who turned to other crops," ed in modern management mod- cause the area decreased, but with metallurgy, biomass energy, the drying of agribusi- he points out. els, integrated production systems a guaranteed increase in produc- PLANNING ness grains, wood and furniture. The forest planta- "Eucalyptus is a crop like any other, not just plant- and full utilization of properties. tivity and nutritional quality of soil. tions in Bahia are located in the South, Southwest, ing and waiting for the cycle of seven or eight years to “This is time to review these num- In the integration with livestock, For those who want to invest North and West Coast. harvest. It requires all the zeal of soil preparation, pest bers, evaluate the demands and there is an expectation of a 12 to in forest implantation, whether in Despite growing wood consumption, estimated at and weed control. When the project dies, the produc- price, invest in projects. We have 15% increase in milk production planting or replanting, specialists 5,000 hectares per year, the Western region of Ba- er is forced to cut the whole field, even if it is not yet technology, the right varieties, and a 20% increase in the concep- and representatives of the sector hia has not increased the area planted for marketing ready for commercialization. The supply increases, nurseries. In Barreiras alone there tion rate. "This is because the shad- draw attention to important care the price falls,” clarifies Quarreira. are three Wood Treatment Units ed areas, in the midst of drought, involved from the location of the (UTM)", says the director of Abaf, guarantee thermal comfort for the land, recognition of the area, land WESTERN BAHIA Wilson Andrade. "Taking into ac- cattle, reducing the temperature surveying, mapping, chemical and count that the timber cycle is four of the cow’s hide up to 4 degrees. physical soil analysis and vegeta- It is noteworthy that in the West of Bahia there is to eight years for the main desti- In the shade the animal ruminates tion survey. In addition to the re- a profile of historical consumption of wood biomass nations, the consumer companies for 24 hours. Another benefit of in- gional edaphoclimatic conditions, for energy purposes that corresponds to 98% and at- need to prepare for a wood black- tegrating livestock farming is par- it is necessary to pay attention to tends to the large mills, raw material production, pack- out," he warns. ity. The animal is more comfort- the distribution of legal reserves ing plants, grain dryers, bakeries and pizzerias. Only In order to reduce the risks and able, it is not under stress,” he says. and permanent preservation ar- 2% are destined to the construction of posts, pergolas uncertainties in the market, the Among the advantages of the eas, to the choice of species and/ or fences. "Businessmen have already sought wood Lavoura - Pecuária - Floresta in- system of consortium with forests or origin; roads, fires and tiling; outside of the region, making the business unfeasible, tegration (ILPF) has shown to be are the increase in income and partition fences; cleaning of the with expensive freight and difficult transportation. For a viable option for the region, im- better management of human area, control of the area and dis- small areas that are being repopulated, the scenario is proving the income and the qual- and material resources, where the eases; soil correction and prepara- also not good. Producers already buy seedlings from ity of the agricultural or pastoral producer can use the tractor and tion; choice of spacing; mineral fer- other states,” warned Pedreira. crop. Among the adopted systems labor all year. "The greater diver- tilization; silvicultural treatments.

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Bahia also has areas conducive sification in some farms to creation chain, highlighting the possible to the expansion of dairy farm- in confinement, semi-confinement coming of the largest dairy plant Western ranchers want ing, with industrial plants already and for the supplementation of an- in the Northeast, Bethany, to the installed; herds adapted to the imals, so livestock and agriculture West, already hiring an environ- tropical region, milk production need to walk side by side for better ment to attract milk from pro- competitive, environmentally to pasture and expanding mar- results and gains", considers the ducers. The announcement took ket versus repressed demand in director Acrioeste and the Union place at an event organized by proven production production; high sanitary control of Rural Producers of Barreiras, the industry that brought together of dairy herds; programs (bru- Antônio Balbino de Carvalho. about 400 people among breed- cellosis, tuberculosis, rabies and The allurement of new compa- ers, entrepreneurs, and represen- foot-and-mouth disease). These nies, not only for grain processing, tatives of the segment. Another reeders, companies and representatives of the factors, among others, make Bahia for animal nutrition, slaughtering achievement was the resurgence agricultural segment add efforts to the develop- present itself as a state with great (slaughterhouses) and the increase of the Cooperative of the Dairy ment of dairy cattle and beef cattle breeding in potential for the realization of pro- of the installed capacity of large Producers of the West of Bahia the western region of Bahia. The intention is to ductive investments in the sector. dairy plants also strengthen the - Cooperleite, besides a greater increase productivity, in a competitive and environ- With the vast area and abun- region's oldest activity, livestock. participation of the State with the Bmentally proven way, with changes in pasture man- dant inputs and the incentive to Well-defined seasonality is also a Bahia Productive program. agement practices, genetic improvement of the herd, agriculture-livestock integration, a competitive advantage. "Moments The objective is to increase animal nutrition, logistics and market guarantee, thus worldwide trend, the Western re- without rain are predictable, but production in the West and add ef- closing the regional productive link. gion has the potential to involve we need to be prepared to deal forts to make Bahia self-sufficient The western part of the State has an estimat- small farmers and large producers. with momentary adversities like in milk production, since, despite ed two million head of cattle, with a higher share of "Our greatness is in our productive the summer weather that takes us having the 3rd largest dairy herd beef cattle. The predominant breed is Nelore, and potential, since there is no short- by surprise and which are inherent and the 8th highest milk produc- to a lesser extent Guzerá, in addition to dairy cattle, age in the region of food supplies difficulties to the environment," tion in Brazil, it ranks 23rd in the according to data from Acrioeste. Commercial beef for livestock, on a commercial says cattle rancher Balbino. ranking of productivity. Much of cattle breeding gained momentum in the late 1920s, scale, with a multitude of products He also points out significant the milk consumed by the Bahians when the pioneer in the field, Companhia Sertaneja and by-products. This food de- advances in relation to the orga- comes from other states, such as Agropastoril settled in Barreiras in 1928 and began mand is increasing from the inten- nization of the dairy production Minas Gerais and Goiás. buying and selling stock. Today, the region reaffirms its importance in the segment, with the supply of good land, attracting large agricultural enterprises, in addition to being recognized nationally for the quality of the calves that it produces and that supply the con- Characterized by greater muscularity, weight gain finements of several parts of Brazil. and carcass yield, beef cattle represent 80% of the cattle herd in Bahia, 36.2% of the herd of the North- POTENTIAL east of Brazil (first place), predominating Nelore mes- The raising of beef cattle is an activity of great tizos, being that the main region's producers, such as relevance for the state of Bahia, with a herd in 2017 the West, are characterized by the greater number of approximately 9.6 million animals, the ninth in na- of breeders with pure herds of this breed and a 16% tional ranking. The great territorial extension allows cattle surplus rate. The surplus rate measures the the existence of a diverse range of plant formations, ability of the herd to generate surplus, that is, it rep- which makes the creation of cattle to pasture - the resents the production (in arrobas or heads) in a cer- so-called "green bull" - possible through the rotation- tain period of time in relation to the initial herd. The al grazing system, as well as confined and semi-con- higher the rate of enjoyment, the greater the internal fined in the producing regions of grain from the West. production of the herd. The most common industrial This comprehensive range of alternatives allows the crossings in the western region of the state are of Red production of super quick maturing calves with high Angus or Aberdeen Angus bulls, with Nelore cows or profit, adding value to superior quality meat. Nellore crossbreds.

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entrepreneurship and knowl- one VIP, and two food courts, edge, regardless of their scale of with capacity for 4 thousand The Bahia Farm production. What matters is not meals a day; four adapted bath- the size, but the efficiency im- rooms; Little Farm (fazendinha) should generate R$ 2 plemented by each one on their and park, with a circuit of tree property. Farmers with a smaller climbing on eucalyptus trees, of- scale can survive on a hectare fering leisure and safety for the billion in business or less, depending on the tech- little ones, as well as other ac- nology implemented and good tivities. We are focused on trans- management practices,” says the forming this great event into a president of Aiba and Bahia Farm multiple space, focusing not only ith the expectation of a financial turnover of R$2 billion in Show, Celestino Zanella. "The Fair on generating business, but also business, Bahia Farm Show reaffirms its importance in the consolidates every year and has as a leisure alternative for fami- development of Bahian agribusiness, bringing together the business participation, per per- lies,” describes the coordinator of best in advanced technology in the various productive seg- son, which is a reference in the New Tent is one of the novelties of the Fair Bahia Farm Show, Rosi Cerrato. ments and promoting the diffusion of research and knowledge. For Country,” he says, also stressing Due to success, the interna- Wthis 15-year commemorative edition of the Fair, which runs from May the importance of the event in tionalization of the fair is a fact. 28 to June 1, organizers estimate 60,000 visitors, including suppliers, bringing together in a single space took place during Fenagro, in Sal- and performances of the auto- "Last year we received exhibitors buyers, farmers, the academic community and the general public. all the news in agricultural tech- vador, bringing together producers, motive sector, a medical center, from Uruguay, Germany and the In the 2018 edition, the fair confirmed its position as one of the nology for the development of businessmen, politicians and guests. exhibitor and assembler service United States, who saw the fair as largest agricultural events in Brazil, reaching a historical mark of agriculture for Western Bahia and The Complex comprises an center and 24-hour security. an opportunity to leverage their R$1.891 billion in turnover, a 23% growth over the previous year. Matopiba (Maranhão, Tocantins, area of 144,000 square meters, There will be 210 exhibitors in businesses and invest in the re- More than three thousand direct and indirect jobs were generated. Piauí and Bahia). with a good electrical and hydrau- all, with more than 900 brands ex- gion. And this year we will have The Bahia Farm Show is organized by the Association of Farmers "The 15-year edition will be lic network structure, restrooms, hibited. "This year we are expand- the adhesion of foreign compa- and Irrigators of Bahia (Aiba), with the support of the Bahian Associ- our best-edited, best-organized leisure area, 100% paved streets ing our occupied area by 20%, nies and the important confirma- ation of Cotton Producers (Abapa), Bahia Foundation, Association of and relying on farmers, who will and native species forest, as well creating new spaces such as the tion of the public and private fi- Resellers of Agricultural Machinery and Equipment of Western Bahia have another year of success in as ample parking and restaurants. “New Tent", which will house 62 nancial agents that guarantee the Ltda. (Assomiba) and the City Hall of Luís Eduardo Magalhães. the field, will again achieve a new The Bahia Farm Show Complex small and medium-sized compa- differential in the price and the "It is a very labor-intensive action for Aiba, who is directly in- business record. We want the R$2 also has two auditoriums, an ex- nies, also linked to agribusiness, conditions of payment in the ac- volved in the organization, but we do not measure the effort and billion fair,” he concludes. The perimental field with research in in a covered and privileged pavil- quisition of machines and equip- instead work year-round to ensure that this space favors people's launch of the Bahia Farm Show the agricultural sector, as well as ion. In addition to this new area, ment together with the other ex- a test drive area with exhibitions we will also have two restaurants, hibitors", she concludes.

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