Bayer, In Partnership With CAR, Promotes Socio-Productive Inclusion Of Family Farmers In Bahia

Initiative distributes onion and watermelon seeds to promote food security and increase fruit and vegetable consumption in the region

São Paulo /PRNewswire/ - In order to expand and strengthen the fruit and vegetable production capacity of family farmers in the state of Bahia, Bayer signed a partnership with Companhia de Desenvolvimento e Ação Regional (CAR- BA) in order to promote access to quality vegetable seeds for small producers who are part of the Bahia Produtiva project. CAR's initiative for the socio-productive inclusion of low-income communities has the support of the United Nations (UN) World Food Program and the World Bank.

The donation of onion and watermelon seeds, which together have an estimated commercial value of approximately R$ 900,000 , will benefit approximately 10,000 producers in the region. Bayer is also supporting the training of farmers and extensionists by offering material with technical knowledge to ensure that proper practices are followed, thus guaranteeing better results with crops.

The partnership aims to help improve the living conditions and nutrition of the benefited families, expanding the supply of fruits and vegetables and increasing the family production process in the region. According to Cristiane Lourenço, global director of Sustainability in Seed Plants at Bayer, the action is also in line with one of the company's global commitments, signed in May 2022: the Private Sector Commitment for Zero Hunger, in English " Zero Hunger Private Sector Pledge ", through which the company will invest US$ 160 million dedicated to helping end global hunger, which will be allocated to projects located in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

"This initiative is just the first of many that will happen from this partnership. Through the global commitment we signed, we will drive actions focused on food security at several levels. This includes investing US$ 100 million in research and development to bring seeds from quality vegetables at the hands of small farmers, in addition to increasing access to high-tech seeds and providing innovative solutions that allow access to essential nutrients for needy communities, the goal of our global initiative 'The Nutrient Gap'", reinforces Cristiane.

According to the most recent survey by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) carried out in 2017-2018, in Bahia, 7.4 million people (50% of the state's population) suffered some degree of food insecurity.

The list of beneficiary families was selected based on initiatives already supported by the Bahia Produtiva project. Through the routines, reports and monitoring instruments already used by technical assistance and rural extension institutions in the State of Bahia, it will be possible to monitor the productive performance of the families that will receive Bayer cultivars.

For the coordinator of the Bahia Produtiva project, Fernando Cabral , the initiative aims to improve the living conditions of the beneficiaries. "This partnership with Bayer is extremely important for the beneficiaries of Bahia Produtiva, as it increases farmers' income and guarantees food security for these families with quality seeds."

The partnership reinforces Bayer's commitment to investing in initiatives following the "Health for all, hunger for none" vision, providing producers with solutions that make agriculture increasingly sustainable, as reinforced by Marcelo Tavares , marketing leader for Vegetal Seeds at Bayer in South America. "By bringing access to quality seeds to the hands of family farmers, we help fight hunger and promote increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, contributing to the health and nutrition of communities that need it most."