Farturinha: Cultivating food and climate resilience collectively in Maranhão

The Baixada Maranhense region is immensely rich, but it faces one of the country's greatest challenges: food insecurity. Thousands of farming families, who are the basis of local production, struggle against a lack of infrastructure and limited access to public policies. In this scenario, the call for proposals to strengthen family farming became a catalyst for a collective solution, proving that the answer to hunger and climate change lies in unity. From there, Farturinha was born, a set of socio-environmental technologies that enables the creation of agroforestry systems in community associations.Farturinha was conceived with a logic that goes beyond individual production. The proposal understands that, in a context of historical inequality, true food sovereignty is built collectively. Therefore, the solution focuses on the implementation of agroecological production modules in spaces managed by local associations. These modules are small, closed, and replicable circuits that integrate animal husbandry, vegetable gardens, fruit orchards, composting, and waste utilization, ensuring diversified and continuous harvests.Even in its initial phase, the initiative has already generated significant impacts on the dynamics of the communities. The implementation of the community modules has encouraged collective work, joint planning, and the resumption of ancestral practices, such as the use of heirloom seeds and the rational management of water. The project reinforces autonomy, belonging, and care for the territory. Fábio Pereira, who received support from the grant and is now a technology consultant, explains the transformation:“Before, each family worked in isolation, and access to appropriate techniques was very limited. Collectively, we have been realizing that the implementation of community agroforestry modules in associations, based on Farturinha, is possible and brings real results. Farturinha is not just a set of agricultural technologies, but a way to effectively address the socio-environmental impacts we find in rural communities.”The support came through a grant from the Seed Communities Program, with the

Comuá Network

and the coordination of the Baixada Institute. The participatory approach, with active listening to the communities, ensured that resources were strategically directed to those who truly know the territory. This form of financing reinforces the commitment to social justice and the effectiveness of actions in the field. Farturinha is thus consolidated as a sustainable development model that combats hunger, values local knowledge, and builds a more resilient future for the Baixada Maranhense region.sementes crioulas e o manejo racional da água. O projeto reforça a autonomia, o pertencimento e o cuidado com o território. Fábio Pereira, que recebeu apoio do edital e hoje é consultor da tecnologia, explica a transformação:

“Antes, cada família trabalhava isolada, e o acesso a técnicas adequadas era muito limitado. Coletivamente, a gente vem percebendo que a implantação de módulos agroflorestais comunitários em associações, a partir do Farturinha, é possível e traz resultados reais. O Farturinha não é apenas um conjunto de tecnologias agrícolas, mas uma maneira de enfrentar de forma efetiva os impactos socioambientais que encontramos nas comunidades rurais.”

O apoio veio por meio de um edital do Programa Comunidades Sementes, com a Rede Comuá e a coordenação do Instituto Baixada. A abordagem participativa, com escuta ativa das comunidades, garantiu que os recursos fossem direcionados de forma estratégica para quem realmente conhece o território. Essa forma de financiamento reforça o compromisso com a justiça social e a eficácia das ações no campo. O Farturinha se consolida, assim, como um modelo de desenvolvimento sustentável que combate a fome, valoriza os saberes locais e constrói um futuro mais resiliente para a Baixada Maranhense.