Klabin expands its family farming program, Matas Sociais, to two new municipalities in Santa Catarina; initiative helps small- and medium-sized rural producers with production, environmental legislation, training, property diversification, more

August 31, 2023 (press release) –

In 2022, Social Matas reached two new municipalities, Palmeira and Ponte Alta

Santa Catarina, August 30, 2023 –  Klabin is strengthening its family farming program, Matas Sociais, in Santa Catarina, which contributes to the planning of sustainable properties for small and medium-sized rural producers. In operation in the state since 2020, it recently arrived in Palmeira and Ponte Alta and is already present in five municipalities – it also occurs in Otacílio Costa, Correia Pinto and Lages.

Developed in partnership with Sebrae and Apremavi, in addition to support from Epagri, the initiative helps small and medium-sized rural producers in the production stages, from adapting to environmental legislation to supporting the sale of food, passing through training actions, property diversification and incentive to associativism and cooperativism. The program relies on the partnership of municipalities, through their city halls and agriculture, education and social assistance departments.

Social Matas operations are based on three fronts: economic, social and environmental. In the economic sphere, for example, the program helped to strengthen the production chains of 16 communities, benefiting around 50 family farmers, including two agrarian reform settlements. A highlight is the support given to municipalities to better comply with the public notice of the National School Feeding Program (PNAE), which provides meals to schools. The program is also supporting the conversion of properties for certification of organic production. There are 10 properties in Lages and seven in Correia Pinto, via Sebraetec, Sebrae's technological consultancy program, which drives companies to improve their processes, services and products. With this program, the cost is reduced by 70% for those assisted,

“Social Forests is essential to contribute to the communities where we operate, strengthening the production chain and a sustainable and ethical local economy. We are very optimistic about the economic, social and environmental results that we will be able to provide to the new rural producers that we will achieve with the expansion of the program”, says Uilson Paiva, manager of Social Responsibility and Community Relations at Klabin.

For producers, the commercialization of crops has added value with handling in an appropriate environment, going through training stages, property diversification and incentives for associations and cooperativism. The joint discussion about the productive chains with the producers has also been a great guide for the program's actions. Markets are also promoted at the entrances of Klabin's Correia Pinto and Otacílio Costa Units, where, on a monthly basis, producers gain another means of marketing and advertising their products, in addition to employees and residents of the region having the opportunity to take fresh products, straight from the production of family farming to their homes.

Collaboration between the Company and other program partners also promotes constant learning opportunities for family farmers. In Correia Pinto, lectures related to the objectives of the Social Matas began to be held, bringing technical and applied knowledge to the region by professionals from Apremavi, Sebrae, Epagri and IFSC. On August 9, the Program's 1st Cycle of Lectures had the theme “Agroforestry Systems: Food security, income and ecosystem services for family farmers”. The assisted producers were able to learn more about the production of beans and corn, agroforestry systems and the possibility of innovating in culinary productions, valuing native fruits.

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