- Title: Women drive economic change in Brazilian Amazon's acai industry
- Date: 15th January 2025
- Summary: PARA, BRAZIL (DECEMBER 29, 2024) (REUTERS) ACAI BERRY COLLECTOR, EDNA DOS ANJOS NASCIMENTO SIQUEIRA, CLIMBING ACAI PALM TREE AND REMOVING THE BRANCHES HINDERING THE TREE'S GROWTH DOS ANJOS CLIMBING TREE DOS ANJOS REMOVING AN ACAI BRANCH FROM THE TREE'S CANOPY DOS ANJOS DESCENDING TREE (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) ACAI BERRY COLLECTOR, EDNA DOS ANJOS NASCIMENTO SIQUEIRA, SAYING
- Embargoed: 29th January 2025 12:59
- Keywords: Acai berries Amazonas Brazil Rainforest Women entrepreuneurs
- Location: PARA, BRAZIL
- City: PARA, BRAZIL
- Country: Brazil
- Topics: South America / Central America,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001252811012025RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: In the small Ilha da Jussara, an island in Para state in the Brazilian Amazon, a group of women mobilize to fund the production of organic acai berry, which is responsible for more most of the community’s income.
The ongoing effort started in 2015, when Edna dos Anjos Nascimento Siqueira, known as Bezinha, reunited some 12 women, including her sisters, to reorganize the production of acai berry and seek external funding from banks and public institutions.
“At first, the husbands took care of the product, of the production. Then we the women started to move”, she said, while quicky removing the small dark fruit from the branches and placing them in a basket.
Extremely popular in Brazil and gaining room over the world, acai berries are a nutrient-rich superfood and an ingredient in cosmetic products.
Local rural authority Emater estimates that four acres of in the region of Ilha da Jussara are dedicated to the production of organic acai berry in microbiomes.
The sales total 630,000 reais (USD) a year, which accounts to over 85% of the community’s income, according to Emater. During the harvest, the profit can reach 1,500 reais per week, supporting the families and contributing to investment in the plantation areas.
Since the woman took the lead in the management, the production grew from 50% to 60%, according to Lucival Solim Chavez, agronomist at Emater.
“We've achieved a lot,” Bezinha said. “My friends that are part of it… they have their own little house, their own little stove, their own bathroom. And for us it's changed a lot, thanks to God.”
At 60 years old, Bezinha grew up following her father climbing the acai berry trees of Ilha da Jussara and was the first woman to participate in the meetings to discuss funding.
Her community has been facing further funding challenges since the pandemic and is often seeking government support.
“There's a lot of value here, but we haven't yet managed to organize ourselves so that we can earn more. This is our black gold,” Bezinha said.
(Production: Anderson Coehlo, Sergio Queiroz, Hugo Monnet) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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