Klabin's Social Forests – Planning Sustainable Properties Program assists 28 families in the municipality's rural area
 
Paraná, November 16, 2021 - Rural producer Carlos Borges raises sheep on his family's small 24-hectare farm in the Rodeio Bonito community of Sapopema, Paraná. In addition to raising sheep, Borges plans to install on the property an agrosilvopastoral production system, which integrates agriculture, forestry and ranching activities to optimize resources and profitability per hectare on a sustainable basis. He has received technical consulting from the team of the Social Forests Program developed by Klabin, in partnership with the Association for Preservation of the Environment and Life (Apremavi), the Micro and Small Company Support Service (Sebrae) and the Municipal Government.
 
Borges also is concerned with rebuilding tracts of native forests and protecting natural springs. With the help of consultants from Social Forests, the option was to plant tree species that grow rapidly and are fruiting. "We already have planted 150 saplings, mainly on slopes. We are rebuilding the native vegetation and protecting the land," he said.
The rural producer is enthusiastic about the technical support he is receiving from the Klabin program. "It's a great opportunity to optimize our use of the farm, increase its productivity and care for the environment," said Carlos Borges.
 
Klabin's Social Forests – Planning Sustainable Properties Program assists 28 families living in the municipality's rural area. In addition, the Food Processing and Family Farming Solidarity Cooperative of Sapopema (Copasol) also is a program partner and member of the Central-North Paraná Cooperative Center, which was created in August in Telêmaco Borba with the program's support. Formed by four cooperatives with nearly 900 members in 34 municipalities in the state, Central represents a major achievement for the region by joining the forces of the cooperatives to strengthen family farming.
 
The initiative also enable producers to care for and invest in their own farms and in cattle production, which increases their independence by giving them another revenue stream. The program's consultants conduct a diagnosis of the production potential of the family farm. Farmers participating in the program also receive assistance for making their properties compliant with environmental regulations, including for recovering Permanent Preservation Areas (APP), preserving natural resources and protecting headwaters, as well as improving the landscape aspect of their farms. The actions were developed by consultants from Apremavi, which work with the rural producers to raise awareness and increase respect for the environment, which are fundamental pillars of sustainable on a rural property, by integrating conservation and sustainable rural production actions.
 
According to the Sapopema Secretary of Agriculture, Eraldo Brizola Roque, the work being done by the program consultants is proving very effective for the municipality. "The technical consulting is very important at this time. These are highly qualified professionals who have helped us in a wide array of areas in rural production," said the secretary.
 
According to him, the municipality is developing a project that supports dairy cow farmers with the aim of increasing productivity. "It's an excellent initiative and we are looking to actions for the medium term. Our goal is for these dairy farmers,  which currently have cows that produce up to 60 liters of milk per day, are able to reach 300 liters daily. With the support of consultants from Social Forests, we are working to improve animal nutrition and enhance the genetics of the dairy herd," said Eraldo.
 
The secretary concluded by saying, "We're very excited about the projects being developed in partnership with Social Forests that will further strengthen family farming in our municipality."
 
"Actions likes these are part of the Sustainability Policy of Klabin, which strives to contribute to the local development of the communities in which we operate," said Uilson Paiva, Social Responsibility and Community Relations manager at Klabin.
 
 

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