Last month our long-term partner De Heus represented by Rinus Donkers (LATAM director) and Ademir Pereira (Business Manager at De Heus Brasil), visited the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor and had the opportunity to witness firsthand the environmental restoration preservation impact and the results of joint efforts between De Heus, Black Jaguar Foundation, and local farmers!
Watch Rinus Donkers (Latin America Director) about the long-term partnership between De Heus, Black Jaguar Foundation & local communities in the Araguaia region:
During his first visit to the project, Rinus Donkers emphasized the importance of building trust between Black Jaguar Foundation, local communities, rural landowners, and members of Ressemear (Araguaia Seed Network).
“During the gathering, organized by Black Jaguar to introduce us to producers and government authorities in the region, it became evident that it’s possible to reconcile production with preservation, which pleasantly surprises us. After all, what we are doing together is leaving a legacy for future generations, making it possible to achieve a more sustainable production model. It was gratifying to witness the progress made and the potential of this partnership between Black Jaguar, De Heus, and producers, which has proven beneficial for all involved!” he declared.
While visiting the restoration areas, Rinus highlighted that “even the most skeptical producers now support the organization and are open to receiving people to show this. It’s truly impressive to see how reforested riparian areas, planted around a year and a half to four years ago, have transformed into real forests, with a biodiversity of at least thirty to seventy different species.”
In addition to the restoration areas, we also visited the Black Jaguar seedling nursery and talked with members of Ressemear, initiatives directly supported by De Heus.
To conclude the visit, we took the chance to exchange experiences and socialize with the project’s partner rural landowners.
READ: DE HEUS VISITS BLACK JAGUAR FOUNDATION’S ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION AREAS IN PARÁ