Sunday, October 14, 2007

Organic Farming in Brazil


My friend Jessica De La Ossa and I are going to South America after we graduate in December and we have been looking into some possible volunteer opportunities we could possibly participate in for the time we are there.

I found Casa Do Caminho while I was looking up cheap programs we could give a hand to. This program will pay for your food and lodging in return for your help. This would be perfect for backpackers who are just passing through. You can stay as long as you like if you are helping out each day.

Casa Do Caminho
offers a handful of different volunteer opportunities, but the one that caught my eye was the organic farming program.

You would be working on the farm for about six hours a day. The international volunteers will be teaching you the basics of organic farming. The farm in located on the edge of the Tingau Reserve in Brazil. The surroundings are mostly green mountains.

The goals of this organic farm that you would be contributing to include: healthy, natural, food to the local children, and an education to the surrounding farmers and residents about organic farming and sustainability. The primary focus of the organic farm is to ensure that the farmers and children can continue the farm once volunteers have moved on. The area is impoverished, and a healthy flourished farm will provide fresh food year round.

The program needs volunteers that know about farming and agriculture, but they will take any volunteers with or without farming experience.

The farm could also use farming tools like hoes and plows and help with the water irrigation system.

The organic farm began in February 2007 and the volunteers have already had successful vegetable growth like cucumbers. The members of the program teach volunteers about cultivating the land and planting seeds while not abusing the soil.

The farm uses only organic material to enrich the soil of the land and produce quality, natural food for the locals.

Jessica spent last summer in the less fortunate area of Fortaleza, Brazil and she wants to volunteer this summer to take care of some of the problems she saw during her last stay. Jessica explains that an organic farm would be extremely beneficial to the areas she saw in Brazil.

Jessica explained that there was a definite concern with the sanitation of the foods and she believes an organic farm would be very beneficial to the poor communities.

"People cannot afford to buy organic foods there, they are not always eating the most sanitary things," said Jessica. She thinks that if people were capable of growing their own organic foods it would keep food contamination under control, although she still thinks expenses would be a problem without the help of volunteers. She also thinks that giving these kids something to do other than roam the streets begging for food would help the overall moral of the community and the future of these children.


All pictures credited to Jessica De La Ossa. Taken in Fortaleza, Summer2007.

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