After the current government, through its ministers, invited the entrepreneur Tomás Davalos to visit farmers in extreme poverty, he decided to support them with management, training and technology. "I realized that the problem was not very complicated, because there are fertile lands, energy and roads; the only thing missing was order and management, "said the Pueblo supermarket chain owner.
They visited the Araujo Cue settlement in Curuguaty, where 400 households, with an average of 11 members per household, have been surveyed. They started the project with 20 families and noted that, besides having no soil studies, working with non certified seeds, and being ignorant of modern technologies, they also they lack education and health. These were first problems addressed by this effort.
"We were escorted by technicians from the Ministry of Agriculture with theoretical and practical classes of the best ways to grow and harvest, and the result was very positive. After finishing the first stage, we noticed that we had to solve problems caused by climatic factors affecting production, and thought of greenhouses," he said.
With the installation of this technology, the ideal temperature, humidity and the necessary flow of sunlight are obtained, as well as being sheltered from insects.
"By the end of December the second set of greenhouses will arrive, and they are to be financed by the Pueblo supermarket chain. The cost of the greenhouses is 50 million Guaraníes each", Davalos said.
The businessman said that every greenhouse can have 1,000 tomato plants that produce at least 8 kilos each, with two cycles planted annually. This technology was implemented 90 days ago and will be producing by the first week of December, he announced.
He explained that, for the duration of the process, staple foods are funded at cost to participating producers. He also clarified that a percentage of the farmers' production will go to loan repayment. "No free lunch, they are not given the fish, they are taught to fish; that is the philosophy," he said.
The idea is that those who work within this system, earn a salary where half of their profits go to each greenhouse's credit amortization. "They've already sold out their product by planting them. We will take care of transportation, but we will build transportation companies that they themselves will manage one day," he said.
Currently they grow tomatoes and bell peppers, but in the future will also work with fodder. The ambition is that over time, these products can be exported.
Davalos said that producers are not obligated to sell production to the Pueblo supermarket chain, but to whomever pays a better price. He announced that later he will also work with producers in other areas.
Greenhouse school
The company also set up a greenhouse in the center of Lambaré that will serve as a school for producers and students from local colleges." We want students to generate their own tree seedlings so that they can plant them and then become patrons," he said.
Source: abc.com.py