Rural communities in Formosa and São João d'Aliança, Goiás, received meteorological stations in August to support the irrigation management of passion fruit and mango crops. The initiative is part of the Vão do Paranã Irrigated Fruit Farming project, which is installing irrigation kits and trellises on 41 properties in Formosa and seven in São João d'Aliança.
The stations will measure temperature, rainfall, and evapotranspiration, with data integrated into the "Irrigate to Develop (ID)" mobile application. The app will provide farmers with daily recommendations on irrigation timing and water volume. According to Lineu Rodrigues, researcher and coordinator of Embrapa Cerrados' activities in the project, "the goal is for producers to save water and energy and increase productivity."
Project background
The Vão do Paranã project began in 2023 to enable irrigated fruit production for agrarian reform families in Flores de Goiás, Formosa, and São João d'Aliança. The initiative involves Embrapa Cerrados, the Goiás State Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply (Seapa/GO), the São Francisco and Parnaíba Valley Development Company (Codevasf), Emater Goiás, Senar/GO, and local governments.
Ten families in Flores de Goiás formed the project's first phase, already harvesting their second passion fruit crop. A weather station was installed there in March 2024, with farmers now using the ID app.
Local adoption
On August 11, the Formosa weather station was handed over at Fazenda Palmeira Municipal School, with authorities and farmers in attendance. The municipality has 29 agrarian reform and land credit settlements, housing about 2,500 families. Mango is being introduced to complement passion fruit production, with a cooperative and an agro-industry under construction in Flores de Goiás to support marketing.
In São João d'Aliança, the station was installed at the Mingau settlement project on August 18. Mayor Genivan Gonçalves said, "This station will enable production focused on increasing productivity, with less water consumption. Farmers will not only produce for subsistence, but will increase production and market their agricultural products."
The municipality plans to support sales through national programs such as the National School Feeding Program (PNAE) and the Food Acquisition Program (PAA).
Farmers' expectations
Producers in both municipalities are preparing orchards with irrigation infrastructure and ordering seedlings. While some farmers have experience with crops like cassava, vegetables, bananas, or açaí, many will work with passion fruit and mango for the first time.
For Joaquim de Moura Filho, from São João d'Aliança, the involvement of research institutions and government provides confidence: "We have advanced technology, brought by Embrapa, the city government is embracing our cause, and we have the federal and state governments and the Department of Agriculture as partners. It will inevitably work."
Source: Abrafrutas
