Ceará’s Central Sertão hosts II Training Module of the Northeast ATER Agroecology Network

Daiana Almeida and Darliton Silva
Communication from the Northeast ATER Agroecology Network

From today [29/8] until Friday [1/9], the municipality of Quixadá is hosting the II Action Research Module: ATER practices, knowledge construction and collective subjects of agroecology, a training program of the ATER Northeast Agroecology Network.

The activity is a great opportunity to learn more about the work carried out by CETRA, which is hosting the meeting, and its partners in the Central Sertão of Ceará and also to exchange ideas between the 12 organizations from six states that are part of the Network.

The event’s program will enable participants to meet 6 families from the Vila Rica and Boa Vista settlement communities, who work with vegetable and fruit production, small animal husbandry, productive backyards, milk processing and handicrafts.

For Denis Monteiro, agronomist and technical advisor to AS-PTA, the Northeast ATER Agroecology Network has a recognized track record of formulating and implementing innovative ATER methodologies for family farming, with the active participation of farming families and their organizations in the communities.

Also according to Denis, with the resumption of social participation spaces by the Lula government, at the meeting we will talk to the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Family Agriculture and make suggestions so that the ATER calls can incorporate methodological innovations based on the principles of agroecology that the Network exercises in its territories with very positive results in strengthening family farming and generating wealth in the territories and for the territories.

“Family farming makes great contributions to the fight against hunger, and the resumption of the ATER policy plays a fundamental role in the articulation of other public policies to support family farming and promote food security which, fortunately, are being resumed by the Lula government with the recreation of the MDA, the strengthening of the National Supply Company and the food acquisition programs [PAA] and school meals [PNAE], among others,” said Denis.