FAERN: Federation of Agriculture and Livestock in Rio Grande do Norte

Interview with José Vieira, President of FAERN (Rio Grande do Norte Federation of Agriculture and Livestock)

Could you tell us how FAERN came about and how it differs from other agriculture and livestock federations in Brazil?

This Federation was created in 1958, it is an institution of private law whose objective is to defend the rights and interests of the rural producers in Rio Grande do Norte. We work within the entire agricultural chain, from fish breeding, cattle breeding, fruit farming to shrimp farming. The Agricultural Federation represents the whole sector in general at the state level and on a municipal level the sector is represented by the rural producers’ unions.

How would you say that businessmen view the state of Rio Grande do Norte?

Rio Grande do Norte is a privileged state compared to many other Brazilian states, principally due to its geographical location. We have a tropical climate here which means the region is perfect for growing many different crops, particularly tropical fruits through the use of irrigation. We have extraordinary potential in this area. We also have shrimp farming here in Rio Grande do Norte, which is of huge potential; we are one of the largest producers of shrimps in Brazil. On the coast we produce sugar cane and in the interior of the state we breed cattle for milk and we also have goat and sheep farming. In the western region of the state there is irrigated fruit farming. Therefore this state is very diverse and offers great potential for the agriculture and livestock breeding sector in Brazil.

Can you tell us how important is this sector for the state’s economy?

93% of the territory in Rio Grande do Norte is semi-arid; this means that annually we get only about 600ml of rain. This in turn means that the cattle breed for meat production is very intensively positioned on the coastal areas and in the central, north eastern and Seridó regions, where we breed cattle for milk production. This sector is growing and developing. Also Rio Grande do Norte is one of the largest producers of goat milk in Brazil as well as being one of the largest producers of goat and ovine meat. Therefore you can see the diversity that we have here in the agricultural and livestock sector.

It is very diverse indeed, is there a particular area that the state would like to prioritise?

Yes, Rio Grande do Norte is opening up new areas for irrigation and this is going to help us encourage businesses to come to this state to cultivate various crops. We have projects underway, for example the international airport São Gonçalo do Amarante is under construction and will be very important for exporting various fresh products.

I would say that irrigation in general is the greatest distinction that Rio Grande do Norte has to offer; so we are focusing on the irrigated areas in this region for growing fruit destined for export.

What are the main opportunities for partnerships with foreign investors in this sector?

I believe that the areas of infrastructure and logistics offer great opportunities for those who want to invest here in Rio Grande do Norte. There are good opportunities for private investment in the port, railway and highways and also in warehousing in general.

As the President of the Federation, what kind of results would you like to see in the next two or three years?

The main objective of the Federation is to constantly improve the revenue of every producer in the rural sector, of every person that makes their living from rural activities. We are doing this through the SENAR (National Service of Rural Education) which is the branch that deals with agricultural qualifications for the rural producers. The SENAR offers training and qualifications for all the farmers, workers and their family members in this sector. We believe that through training, education, improved qualifications and technology, our producers will be able to increase their revenues more and more and therefore improve their quality of life in the rural sector.

What are the challenges that you are facing?

The northeast of Brazil as a whole faces many challenges in the areas of logistics and infrastructure, technical assistance, health and education in the rural regions and also safety. We are working every day to be able to improve these social issues that affect our rural producers. Therefore our challenge is to be able to improve the longevity of our rural community, so that they can be self-sufficient and improve their revenues.

What would be your dream vision for the state of Rio Grande do Norte in ten years’ time?

I would like to see Rio Grande do Norte as the largest exporter of shrimps and fruit in Brazil and also one of the largest producers of milk and meat for the whole of Brazil.

What would be your message to foreign investors reading this interview? Why should they come to Rio Grande do Norte?

Rio Grande do Norte has extraordinary potential. The structure of the state is really good in terms of welcoming investors. The people here are very warm and kind; we welcome everyone who comes to our state. Rio Grande do Norte offers many opportunities for businesses in the agricultural and livestock sector. We would like everyone who is interested in doing business in Brazil to come to Rio Grande do Norte because on top of all this we have beautiful beaches and a high quality of life for everyone.