This text is part of the special International Solidarity section
In Brazil, a large part of the territory belongs to the agri-food and mining industries. In the state of Goiás, the living conditions of some indigenous communities who work in these industries amount to slavery. With the Agroecology, Justice and Human Dignity project, the Pastoral Land Commission of the State of Goiás (CPT-GO) and the organization Development and Peace – Caritas Canada are working to change the situation.
“The peasantry changes the world!” » immediately asserts Anne-Catherine Kennedy, program manager in Brazil for Development and Peace. Agro-industry, as we know, “pollutes, contaminates, deforests and devastates the land,” she adds. In Brazil, the majority of food produced by this industry is exported, leaving many indigenous communities hungry. “Agroecology is quite the opposite. It is consistent with the needs of the planet and of farmers, who are true defenders of the earth,” maintains M.me Kennedy. The CPT-GO project thus aims for food sovereignty. “We want the peasants to be masters of their agrarian and agricultural policies, and for the fruit of their labor to be used first to feed the hungry in Brazil before being exported,” mentions the project manager, who emphasizes that the Goiás State is a region of gigantic land grabs and it is essential to give back to the peasants what is stolen from them.
Started in January 2023, the project aims to make farmers subjects of rights, that is to say, to give them access to health services, the Internet and education, in particular. “We don’t do anything for them, but we help them regain their dignity. We teach them their rights, how Brazil works, what they can do when they are wronged,” she adds.
Prisoners on their own land
Because they have to pay to be housed and fed by their employers, the poorly paid peasants accumulate debts which make them prisoners. “It’s hard to believe that in 2023, people are still being exploited like this. They often can’t even imagine that their lives could be different, adds Mme Kennedy. We therefore work to develop their pride in peasant culture, which is perceived negatively. » This is particularly true among young Aboriginal people, who are ashamed of their identity. Another part of the program is to change the narrative surrounding peasant culture so that young people want to live it and pass it on by rediscovering their love for their territory.
Other particularities of this project: technical support in agroecology first. Thus, in the 67 communities supported by the CPT-GO, three technicians support 400 families. Recognition of the contribution of women is also an aspect that the program focuses on. “A cultural change related to the image of women is necessary in rural indigenous communities,” explains the manager. We therefore equip women with new agroecological knowledge so that they too have the knowledge and gain confidence. » With the same objective of acquiring knowledge, the program wishes to create around thirty community gardens over three years, to experiment with new agroecological methods.
By working on several fronts, the organizations behind the project wish to bring the indigenous peasantry and culture out of anonymity so that government policies support them more on the one hand, and so that they also become a source of pride both for the indigenous people themselves and for the entire Brazilian population.
“Brazil needs indigenous farmers,” says M.me Kennedy, but he doesn’t know it yet. »
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