By Suellen Nunes*
The strengthening of sustainable production and the recognition of the work of family farmers have gained another chapter in the Transamazon region, in Altamira (PA). During the 42nd Expoalta (Altamira Agricultural and Livestock Fair) in October, the Chocolates Suk agro-industry was recognized with the Artisanal Registration Certificate.
The enterprise is part of the Sustenta Inova project, run by IPAM (Instituto de Pesquisa Ambiental da Amazônia) and partners, which supports local enterprises in qualifying production and strengthening socio-biodiversity chains.
The ADEPARÁ (Agricultural Defense Agency of the State of Pará) Artisanal Seal for products of plant origin represents a step forward for family farming, guaranteeing the traceability of food and ensuring that it is produced in accordance with good manufacturing practices and hygienic and sanitary control.
For the producers, the recognition adds value and differentiation to the artisanal product, expanding the possibilities for marketing throughout the country and allowing access to institutional markets, such as school meals.
“Producing handmade chocolate has always been a dream of mine. Ever since I was a little girl, I used to watch my mother and mother-in-law make cocoa candy and coconut, what we called chocolate, roasted, pounded in a mortar and wrapped in banana straw. Today, being able to turn this into a product with a structure and machinery is a great achievement. I’m very grateful to IPAM, Sebrae, Sustenta Inova, Senar and all the partners who helped make this dream come true. Seeing the seal come out was an immense emotion, a joy that filled my chest. Now it’s time to move on, valuing our wealth in the Transamazon: cocoa,” saidCleide MarisSuk, a family farmer and owner of “ChocolatesSuk”.
The certification process also encourages the modernization of agro-industries, bringing them into line with sanitary and structural standards, strengthening income generation, employment and the sustainability of family farming in Pará.
“Contributing to the Artisanal Seal process is a source of great joy and pride for IPAM, which has been supporting agro-industries in the region for over a decade. This recognition for agro-industries symbolizes the potential of family farming and the progress of sustainable development in our region. The seal adds value, opens up markets and creates new opportunities for employment and income generation,” said Thaynara Cavalcante, IPAM’s research analyst.
Sustenta & Inova
The Sustenta Inova Project aims to consolidate sustainable family production models that serve as a reference for the whole of the Amazon. The initiative seeks to transform the lessons learned into proposals for public policies that contribute to sustainable development and the enhancement of forest production chains.
It is organized by Sebrae (Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service), in partnership with IPAM, Cirad (French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development) and Embrapa (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation); and supported by the European Union.
Communications analyst at IPAM*.