THE PROBLEM

Although 70 percent of the produce consumed in Brazil comes from family farms, urban sprawl makes it difficult for farmers on the outskirts of São Paulo to sell their produce. Discouraged, many farmers are leaving farming altogether—often selling their land for development, compounding the problem for other farmers and aggravating environmental problems that impact the water supply for 5 million people.

THE SOLUTION

São Paulo’s project - Connect the Dots - is designed to strengthen the local agriculture value chain. At one end, it aims to improve production by empowering local farmers through technical assistance and capacity building. This allows farmers to adopt agroecological farming practices that will increase their revenue and protect vital watershed areas. At the other end of the chain, the project encourages entrepreneurs to start businesses that support farmers participation in the value chain.

São Paulo aims to contain the City’s urban sprawl while promoting the sustainable use of rural land. They are training farmers to improve their production processes and raise their income, supporting local cooperatives that connect supply and demand in the agricultural market, and creating a digital application to facilitate these processes.

THE IMPACT

• 160 small, rural farmers receiving technical assistance needed to increase their transition to organic production by 70%
• 536 rural properties registered and publicly mapped by the Connect the Dots program
• 2,000 Connect the Dots farmers, restaurants, supermarkets and individual consumers using a website aimed at helping farmers increasing their sales and helping consumers find organic produce.
• 66% increase in farmer's desire to remain in rural areas