AgroNordeste generates income improvement for the rural population of the semi-arid in the Northeast region

The Brazilian Government is working to generate income improvements for the rural population of the semi-arid in the Northeast region of the country, through the Northeast Agricultural Development Support Program, dubbed AgroNordeste in Portuguese.

Through AgroNordeste, projects involving the economic strengthening of Northeastern agricultural chains are being funded and supported, helping small producers to manage their production and profit from their work to improve their lives.

A partner of AgroNordeste, Telma da Silva has changed her life and the life of her community of Cabaceiras, in the state of Paraíba, by transforming her domestic creation of goats into a business with the support of the technicians of the program.

Married to José Carlos da Silva and mother of three daughters, Telma has lived for 31 years in Sitio Curtume, rural area of Cabaceiras, where, until 2005, she raised only dairy cattle. Two years ago, her business changed, growing after having access to AgroNordeste's actions.

According to her, in the beginning of 2020 she thought of giving up, and even sold about 75% of the animals she and her husband cattled. However, with the coming of technical assistance, brought by AgroNordeste, she reviewed her decision and started a real business.

Under the technician's guidance, she restructured the sheepfold (place where the animals are confined), started to use new technologies and took financing from the National Program for the Strengthening of Agriculture (Pronaf) to acquire new matrices, increasing her herd.

Thanks to the program, Telma was able to improve her goat mil daily production from 14 liters to 35, delivered to the Capribov Cooperative, which attends the Food Acquisition Program (PAA) with milk and derivatives which are then sold to the public.

A high point in her successful story came last year, when Telma was invited to participate in the biggest sheep and goat event in Paraíba, the Bode Rei Party, where she was awarded in the Boca Cheia and Cabra Rainha categories for the quality of her cattle and her products.