In the small community of Ilha da Jussara, located at the northern edge of the Brazilian Amazon, the cultivation of acai berries – a superfood recognized for its nutritional advantages – serves as a primary source of income.
Over the past decade, production has escalated by about 50%, largely due to the efforts of approximately a dozen village women who strived to secure lines of credit.
Initially, men managed the product and production," mentioned Edna dos Anjos Nascimento Siqueira, also known as Bezinha. She nostalgically recounted her upbringing shadowing her father as he climbed acai palm trees on Ilha da Jussara to harvest the tangy berries, widely utilized globally in beverages, cosmetics, and dietary supplements.
As the first woman to partake in discussions regarding funding for expanding the village enterprise, Bezinha, now 60, spearheaded a significant change.
According to Emater, a governmental agency devoted to sustainable development, female involvement in such micro-businesses has markedly accelerated in rural areas of Brazil. In 2021, nearly half of the rural credit allocated through an Emater-managed federal initiative supporting small-scale farmers was channeled to female producers.
The initial investment for projects like the acai cultivation on Ilha da Jussara amounts to roughly 20,000 reais ($3,300), as stated by Lucival Solim Chavez, an agronomist at Emater, highlighting that subsequent to this, the enterprise becomes financially self-sustaining.
On a broader scale, acai berry production in Brazil surged by 15% between 2020 and 2023, according to official data. Para state, where Ilha da Jussara is situated, claims 94% of the country's acai output, establishing it as a prominent exporter of the fruit to global food and cosmetic industries.
In the vicinity of Ilha da Jussara, approximately 200 individuals are engaged in the cultivation of organic acai. The cumulative sales from communities in the vicinity amount to around 1.37 million reais ($225,000) annually – constituting over 85% of their income, according to governmental figures.
Throughout the harvest period, families in the village can earn four times the regional minimum wage.
"We've accomplished a great deal," Bezinha expressed. "My friends who are part of this... they have their own modest home, their own cooking stove, their own bathroom. This has been truly significant for us."
($1 = 6.0559 Brazilian reais)