The exchange of knowledge and the definition of strategies for the future of indigenous livestock and its sustainability were the main axes of the seminar held between March 16 and 18 in the Raposa Serra do Sol Indigenous Land (TIRSS), in Roraima. The second meeting "Sustainable Indigenous Livestock" took place at Lake Caracaranã and brought together leaders from more than 200 communities from different regions of the state.
Organized by the Bem-Viver project, the seminar allowed the indigenous people to exchange experiences and receive guidance on the management of cattle and horses in natural environments. The activity was prior to theclosure of indigenous communities in TIRSS due to the new coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking at the event were researchers from Embrapa from Roraima and Mato Grosso do Sul, a rural producer from the Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul, and Father Giorgio Dal Ben, who, together with indigenous leaders from Roraima, helped (in 1980) in the implementation of the project "MCruz – A Cow for the Indian". In addition to them, two indigenous people from the Kadiwéu people, who inhabit the border region between Mato Grosso do Sul, Bolivia and Paraguay, whose interest in cattle ranching dates back to the history of their Guaicurus ancestors (Indian Knights of the Pantanal).
Throughout the first day of the seminar, the details of the Bem-Viver project were presented, which by 2022 should help TIRSS communities to make cattle ranching more profitable and environmentally sustainable. The Bem-Viver project, which began in 2019, is promoted by the Institute of International Education of Brazil (IEB), Nature and Culture International (NCI) and the Indigenous Council of Roraima (CIR). The initiative is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and NCI.
On the first day of the meeting, Father Giorgio Dal Ben spoke, who highlighted indigenous cattle ranching as a way to ensure food security, financial independence and territorial defense of TIRSS. And then, the veterinarian and professor at the Dom Bosco Catholic University-MS, Heitor Herrera, who shared his experience as a rural producer in the Pantanal in an old settler retreat that has been working with livestock in native pastures since 1900. Last year, he received indigenous people from Roraima in an exchange with Bem-Viver.
On the second day of the meeting, indigenous leaders attended lectures by veterinarian and researcher from Embrapa Roraima Ramayana Menezes Braga, who presented the potential of Roraima farming for livestock activity, and by researcher and specialist in animal production and management Sandra Santos from Embrapa Pantanal, who stressed, mainly, the importance of mapping the productive territory to raise the positive and negative points of each region.
On the last day of the event, indigenous leaders were divided into three groups according to their ethnoregions (Surumu, Raposa and Serras) to identify and enumerate the current problems of cattle ranching in the communities, in addition to defining goals and actions that will be carried out in these three locations with the support of the Bem-Viver project.
Anselmo Dionísio Filho, coordinator of the Surumu ethnoregion of Raposa Serra do Sol, said that the meeting was essential to resume discussions about indigenous production. In 2019, he traveled to Mato Grosso do Sul with the help of the Bem-Viver project to get to know the region's livestock and learn management techniques that can also be developed in the communities of Roraima. "I am happy because here we are having space to advance in our creations and productions," summarized Dionísio of the Macuxi ethnic group.
Nilo Batista André, coordinator of "A cow for the Indian" in the Serras Region, also stressed that the event was important to discuss goals and strengthen indigenous livestock. "I learned many new things, especially the importance of management and not only of the cattle herd and this strengthens us a lot," said the leader, who is also from the Macuxi ethnic group.
For Reinaldo Lourival, from the NGO Nature and Culture International (NCI), the meeting was a success because in addition to having gathered twice the expected audience, it also revealed the great interest of the communities in actively participating in the search for the good living of the indigenous peoples of Roraima.
"We had a very interesting audience, composed of female leaders, many young people, in addition, of course, to the more traditional leaders. And so we were also able to bring a fundamental discussion, which is the commitment that these communities have with good living not only within Raposa Serra do Sol but also in many other communities in the state", he concluded.