Peasant youth meet in Triunfo to strengthen their identities and participation in agroecology

By: Valdirene Alves, Maria Aparecida Lima Pereira and Davi Feitosa Cavalcante
Young multipliers of agroecology

On August 16 and 17, the city of Triunfo, in the Sertão region of Pernambuco, hosted the Municipal Meeting of the Commission of Young Agroecology Multipliers (CJMA). Held at the Stella Maris, the theme of the event was “Youth and identity: creating paths for good living” and brought together young people from different communities to strengthen their individual and collective action.

Strengthening and identities

The main objective of the meeting was to renew ties between the young people of the CJMA, define new participation strategies and reaffirm the space for peasant youth to fight in defense of agroecology. The commission is advised by Centro Sabiá, an organization that has been working for years to strengthen family farming and agroecology in Pernambuco.

For the participants, the event was more than just a training space: it also represented welcome and recognition, allowing each young person to realize the value of their contribution to building a collective project for a fairer and more sustainable society.

Recovering history, building the future

The first day of the meeting was dedicated to revisiting the history of the CJMA, recalling its history and listening to the expectations of the new generation. There was also a sharing of the experiences of young people who took part in the consolidation of the commission and today follow other paths of action:

• Nicleia Nogueira, current technician at the Sabiá Center;
  
• Valdirene Alves, Baraúna do Sertões Project scholarship holder and extension student;
  
• Isaac Douglas, present at the process of consolidating the CJMA.

These stories brought the new members closer to the commission’s history, reinforcing a sense of belonging and continuity.

Youth in the spotlight

The second day was marked by active listening and youth protagonism. In dialog circles and participatory dynamics, the young people shared their perceptions of the CJMA, reflecting on agroecology, the future of the countryside and the role of young peasants as subjects of social transformation.

Among the most debated points were the permanence of youth in the countryside, the strengthening of peasant identity, community organization and the defence of agroecology as a practice of resistance and care for life.

Commitment to good living

The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of the collective commitment to strengthen the CJMA and keep alive the struggle for sustainable agriculture, peasant identity and good living.

“Being a young peasant is also being a guardian of life, of the land and of the traditions that sustain our communities. Agroecology is more than a production model: it’s a way of living and resisting,” said one of the collective speeches at the end of the event.

With renewed hope, the youth left Triunfo strengthened, taking with them the commitment to continue multiplying practices and values that unite the countryside, identity and the future.