Aiming to contribute with the development of sustainable practices of food production through the development of hydroponic gardens in partnership with families of rural areas of semi-arid Bahia, Alok Institute joins the NGO Retratos de Esperança and the quilombola community of Povoado do Saco (Jacobina, Chapada Diamantina – BA) financing the acquisition of a land measuring 4356m². In addition to the vegetable gardens, nurseries for fruit tree seedlings suitable for the semi-arid region will also be built.
The Fruits of Hope project also intends to create job opportunities, providing income generation for some of the residents. The project will attend 38 families, consisting a total of 190 people.
The region will also be reforested to help mitigate desertification risks in the caatinga biome in the municipalities of Território do Sisal da Bahia and North Chapada Diamantina.
Ongoing initiatives:
• Implementation of an agroforestry system
• Planting and reforestation of native seedlings for biome recovery
• Establishment of community gardens
• Promotion of family farming
• Three houses under construction are currently being completed
Currently, the community gardens yield a variety of food, including vegetables, lettuce, parsley, bananas, sweet potatoes, yams and pumpkins. In addition to the gardens, nurseries for fruit trees suitable for the semi-arid region will be constructed.
About Povoado do Saco
At the Saco community, a village in the municipality of Jacobina-BA, about 38 families live in a situation of extreme social vulnerability. Many residents have not attended school, nor had the opportunity to be literate, living in houses made of mud and in unsanitary conditions, with no access to kitchens or bathrooms. Access to health and education is precarious, job opportunities and income are scarce and the nearest urban center is 60km away, making access to basic resources very difficult.
