Similarities between Brazilian and African semi-arid are positive for agricultural development

Largest melon producer and exporter in Brazil, Agrícola Famosa expects to end 2020 with sales reaching 150 thousand tons. An increase of just over 10% in relation to last year’s volume, when 135 thousand tons of the fruit were exported.

The positive projection, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, results of a work that has been going on since 1995, when the company was founded. With about 9 thousand hectares cultivated, Agrícola Famosa produces 1 million melons a day and supplies the Brazilian and European markets.

Heading the business is co-founder Luiz Roberto Barcelos, who is also the Institutional Director of the Brazilian Association of Exporters of Fruits and Derivatives (Abrafrutas). Mr. Barcelos will be one of the speakers at the Brazil Africa Forum 2020 and intends to highlight the common issues among Brazilian and African farmers.

“It is a great joy for me, a great pleasure to be participating in another edition of the Brazil Africa Forum and to be able to share a little of the experience in fruit production in the Brazilian semi-arid”, states Mr. Barcelos.

“Africa has a semi-arid very similar to that of Northeast Brazil and has great potential to develop its agriculture, especially fruit cultive, supplying Europe and other consumer centers, generating a lot of jobs and income for that region, which needs it so much “.

Agricultural innovation

Mr. Barcelos also plans to share his experience in the use of new technologies and new production processes in the agricultural sector. One of the assets of Agrícola Famosa is the use of innovative and sustainable resources, like advanced irrigation systems, which prevent waste and distribute water efficiently.