23 families inhabit the Colônia I agrarian reform settlement, created in 1996. Its sustainability has been sought by means of several productive system initiatives proposed by mediators. Most of these initiatives failed due to a lack of collective work skills, technical assistance and problems with sales of production, causing families to enter a situation of debt.
Thirteen families currently produce garden vegetables and organic fruit through use of the aspersion system, which has been found unsustainable sue to the lack of water in the Settlement during droughts. Food production by women has been an important source of complementary income, particularly during droughts, although a great need for equipment in the Sabor do Cerrado Group kitchen hindered this activity.
This project has the goal of supporting local development at the Colônia I settlement through a set of activities including capacity-building, strengthening sustainable production, environmental management and social organization.
The following are specific objectives of this project: start the transition from organic production to a more complex sustainable production system; adding value to products and provide catering services through a well-equipped industrial kitchen and capacity-building for settler women in the Sabor do Cerrado Group; strengthen product marketing and promote water resource management in the settlement