Social Transformation in Mocambinho – MG

Located in northern Minas Gerais, Mocambinho is a town in the municipality of Jaíba, occupied and structured during the Jaíba Project, between 1960 and 1970, 50 kilometers from the city center.

The process of occupation, development, and current state of Mocambinho is directly related to the Jaíba Project, which was initially intended to be an unprecedented irrigation project in the country, using water from the São Francisco River. Since its implementation in the late 1950s, the Jaíba Project has undergone several transformations and in recent years farmers in the region have suffered a crisis in which the price paid for their products is lower than the cost of transporting the inputs produced there, leading farmers to abandon their plantations.

Currently, Mocambinho has about 1,800 rural producers and its structure is very deteriorated, with many abandoned public buildings and, in addition to the region’s crops, there is a lack of employment, especially for women.

Raízes conducted a diagnosis with identification of leaders, in-depth interviews and visits to the main community spaces. The result was a local development project based on the promotion of female entrepreneurship and the valorization of local knowledge. To this end, it was proposed to strengthen the current main governing body (the neighborhood association) and provide training to improve existing practices in the areas of handicrafts and gastronomy. The most advanced phases include market access, communication and marketing of the new products.

The project was suspended due to the pandemic and is awaiting funding to resume.