Agroecology and autonomy: The Forest Peoples Network transforms reality in the countryside of Bahia.

Even though they are the least responsible for the climate crisis, family farmers are on the front lines of its most severe effects. However, they are the guardians of knowledge and practices that offer a path to resilience and adaptation. In Bahia, the Agroecology Network of the Peoples of the Forest is living proof that it is possible to produce healthy food, protect biodiversity, and build a fairer and more sustainable future.

The Network is a powerful articulation that unites family farmers, land reform settlers, indigenous and quilombola communities, as well as consumers. The goal is to strengthen this practice, promoting the production, consumption, and marketing of food in a clean, fair, and solidarity-based way. Hércules Saar, president of the Network, explains the essence of this philosophy:

“A agroecologia já vem sendo praticada pelos povos tradicionais, pelo camponês, há muitos anos. Nós produzimos alimentos que geram saúde. É essa produção limpa, que nos deixa ecologicamente corretos”.

For Hércules, this approach is the great tool to face climate change.

“It is through agroecology that we will be carrying out this preservation. It is through agroecology that we will stop practicing monoculture, that we will have diversity within the same food-producing area. This will bring greater resilience to the countryside and to our food,” he emphasizes.

Trust and transparency are pillars of the Network. In 2016, the organization became the first Participatory Conformity Assessment Body (OPAC) in Bahia, accredited by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Mapa). This certification allows the Network to carry out the organic validation of its members' products through a Participatory Guarantee System (PGS). In this model, certification is done collaboratively, where "the farmer certifies the farmer." "It is a very precious guarantee," says Hércules.

Today, the Rede Povos da Mata (Peoples of the Forest Network) brings together around 1,200 certified farmers, operating in 22 of the 27 territories of Bahia and covering three biomes: the Atlantic Forest, Caatinga, and Cerrado. Through this network, 23 agro-industries and 510 production units have already been certified. In addition, various marketing strategies, such as fairs, distribution centers, and direct sales, ensure that food reaches consumers' tables.Since 2019, the Network's work has been boosted by the support of Tabôa, an organization that is part of the

Rede Comuá (Comuá Network).