Women-led agricultural initiatives drive economic growth in Brazil

Women-led agricultural projects are transforming rural economies in Brazil through cooperative models and federal investment. In the Xingu-Transamazônica region, the Movimento de Mulheres de Uruará Campo e Cidade utilized R$ 1.4 million from the Sub-regional Development Plan of Xingu (PDRSX) to restructure fruit cultivation. The funding enabled the construction of a fruit pulp house equipped with an artesian well and cold storage, reducing post-harvest losses and allowing producers to access institutional markets like the National School Feeding Program (PNAE).

Similarly, in Rio Branco, the Árvore Viva Family Farmers Cooperative (Cooperviva) has become a vital economic driver. Comprising 95% women, the cooperative was established in 2021 to overcome bureaucratic hurdles regarding tax invoicing for school meal programs. Women in the cooperative manage nearly every stage of the production chain, from coordinating delivery routes to administering sales at local markets, fostering economic autonomy for dozens of rural families.