INGÁ Project Transforms Lives in Juruti
March, 2024 - Farmer Adeilson Silva from the Batata Community, located in the State Agroextractivist Settlement Project (PEAEX) Curumucuri, in Juruti, had no access to cold water. The reality changed for him and other rural area residents of the municipality. Their participation in the Indicadores de Sustentabilidade e Gestão na Amazônia (INGÁ) project, allowed them to receive they solar energy equipment, rural phones, portable water filters, and freezers.
The materials are provided to families through loan agreements that aim to improve quality of life and facilitate production. Selling, donating or lending the equipment to third parties is prohibited, so far, the team is seeing positive results.
"We never imagined having the equipment we do now. We had difficulty getting cold water. For that, it was necessary to go to the city to buy ice. We had to salt the food or consume everything the same day (to avoid spoilage). Today, we no longer have this concern. I am very happy. Through the project we are able to store chicken, meat, and water," says Silva.
The farmer says that with portable water filters (called “kits camelo”), the population's health has improved, avoiding the risk of diseases, and the telephones have enabled communication agility. "Before, we had to fetch water from the stream to consume. Besides, there was difficulty in communication; we had no way to call an ambulance. It was very difficult indeed. Now it has changed," he adds.
The INGÁ project supports human capital development, biodiversity conservation and territorial management in Juruti, enabling autonomous management and leadership at the local level, native forest protection and conservation, degraded area restoration, and support for entrepreneurship (find out more here).
It is implemented by the Sustainable Juruti Institute (IJUS), in a strategic partnership between USAID, Alcoa Foundation, Citi Foundation, Partners for the Amazon Platform (PPA), with institutional partnership from the Bioversity Alliance - CIAT and the Amazon Entrepreneurship Center.
Results - The farmers and other beneficiaries shared project results during a seminar exchanging best practices among residents of the PEAEX Curumucuri, Prudente Monte Sinai, PAE Juruti Velho, and Environmental Protection Area (APA) Jará regions. The seminar was crucial to address technical issues about the equipment, aiming to optimize usage practices and maximize its transformational impact.
Between July 2023-February 2024, 30 solar panel kits, 30 rural telephones, 40 "kits camelo”, and 30 freezers accompanied by the "good equipment usage" booklet were delivered and installed.
The achieved results were the outcome of the commitment and dedication of partners and the field technical team who overcame challenges, adapting strategies and equipment to local, climatic, and logistical conditions, traveling over 500 kilometers by land and water for delivery. Over 160 people were directly impacted by this effort.
According to Maria Ana Silva, a beneficiary of the INGÁ Project, from the Alto Alegre Community, in the PEAEX Curumucuri, residents are experiencing a new moment. "My transformation with the project was that it brought about an improvement in life. With the arrival of the solar panel and the freezer, we will improve our diet. We no longer salt everything as we used to. The rural telephone will be very useful for our community. Sometimes, I need to call the technician to inquire about my planting and to make sales in the city. So, this will improve a lot for me," she says.
“The project brings new opportunities for the population of Juruti and possibilities for financial inclusion. We encourage communities to recognize the potential for sustainable socioeconomic development linked to biodiversity conservation, which are important agendas for USAID,” says Patricia Benthien, Project Management Specialist at USAID.
