Through the Family Houses that are part of the PDCIS program, the Odebrecht Foundation has been betting on a new generation of young farmers, influenced by contextualized knowledge placed at their disposal. They are adolescents like Jemima Oliveira Dias, 15, a student of the Rural Family House of Igrapiúna (CFR-I in portuguese). On her second year of formation, she is already integrated into her family’s production processes and brings new technologies to the Conduru community, in Camamu (BA), where she lives.

“I am the first in my region to study in a rural school. I wanted to hold on to this opportunity by knowing that I could take that knowledge there,” said Jemima. Since her first year at CFR-I, the adolescent has been participating more actively in the community life through Rural Seminars. These are lectures on topics related to the rural production in the countryside, that provide several families, guidelines to improve their crop yields. In 2015, students of the Family Houses conducted 280 Rural Seminars, directly impacting more than 8,100 people.

In the family property, which has cocoa, palm oil, hearts-of-palm, cloves and guarana plantations, this transference of knowledge conducted by Jemima is also put into practice. CFR-I adopts the Pedagogy of Alternation, whereupon the youth alternates between seven days interned at the educational institution, with lessons in the classroom and in the field, and 15 in their own properties, applying the knowledge under the supervision and guidance of expert monitors. “It’s a teaching methodology different from anything I ever had. I learned how to make cocoa pruning, for example, and help my father in the farm. I can see the correct way to sow and know that this will make all the difference in our results,” she said.

Even still in the middle of formation as Technician in Agribusiness, the adolescent plans to share more and more experiences for the development of the region. “In the future I think of becoming an agronomist and grow with my family and neighbors. CFR-I is opening the door for me to reach my goals,” she added.