Paraná, October 17, 2017 – The program “Social Forests – Planning Sustainable Properties” to support family farming, promoted by Klabin in Paraná, received the SESI Seal for the Sustainable Development Goals in Curitiba. The award recognizes institutions that adopt practices to promote the SDG, a global initiative by the United Nations (UN) to support the planet’s sustainable development in three spheres: economic, social and environmental.

Klabin’s project helps small farmers from the cities of Ortigueira, Imbaú and Telêmaco Borba in all stages of production, from obtaining the Rural Environmental Registration (CAR) to diversifying property, encouraging the culture of association/cooperatives and ultimately seeking to sell products in local markets.

In a little over two years of operation, 230 properties have participated and over 50 training actions have taken place involving agricultural management, livestock, organic production, environmental education and others. One of the program’s most recent results was the commercialization carried out by the COCATIMEL Cooperative, from Imbaú, and the Association of Lageado Bonito Residents, in Ortigueira, with Sodexo, a meal supplier to Klabin’s two plants and Forestry area.

“The program has connected knowledgeable, hard-working farmers to the local consumer market, which has a high demand for produce but, unfortunately, still brings these goods from more distant regions,” noted Uilson Paiva, Klabin’s Community Relations manager. Social Forests is carried out in partnership with Sebrae, the Association for Environmental and Life Preservation (Apremavi), and The Nature Conservancy (TNC).