Working in agriculture is one of humanity’s traditional noble activities. Valdete Lourenço and Joílson lead a family that has worked on a plot of 18 hectares in the Campos Settlement since 2015. In the productive plot, they raise cattle, cultivate traditional crops such as corn and beans, and grow agroecological color-grown cotton. The family is mainly supported by their farm work, supplemented by a few other non-agricultural activities. The corn and beans are for family consumption and for the livestock, while the cotton is sold to contribute to the family’s income.

Currently, the family consists of five people, including the parents and three children. The boys go to school, but when they are at home, they help with daily tasks, still tentatively, as they are young and are still learning the ways of agricultural work. Valdete affirms that she is inspired by her father, João Lourenço (João do Algodão), and her mother, Beatriz Joaquina, to manage all activities on the property. “Whenever we plant here, we consult my father; they guide me, and we decide where it’s best to plant the corn, beans, and cotton.” Her father has been a central presence in the work since he encouraged the planting of cotton in Nanda’s plot in 2016, “The first times we planted were in Painho’s plot because we couldn’t afford to clear the land. He helped, had it cleared, and we planted there. Then we came to plant in our plot, and since then, every year we cultivate between two and three hectares.”

Collective work is an important strategy to increase productivity and improve relations among community members. Valdete and Joílson’s family exchange labor with João’s family, collaborating for the success of the cotton, “We work by helping each other. They come here and help us plant and harvest, and we go there and also help them in planting and harvesting. It has always been this way since I started working on this plot.”

The partnership between Organic Cotton Colours and Nanda’s family has been beneficial, mainly regarding the ease of a guaranteed buyer of their products, in which she emphasizes: “OCC is a very good partner. Through them, we plant knowing that we won’t have headaches selling our cotton.” Another aspect highlighted in this evaluation is reliability, especially in meeting agreements and deadlines: “OCC always comes through without delay. The truth is, for us, it’s always better at the end of the year when harvest and marketing come.”

The cultivation of colored cotton is carried out from April or May, and harvesting usually takes place between September and October. Living with pests has been managed without losses. “We plant, leave it there, and leave it to God. We don’t need to apply any products… we don’t find it difficult to work this way.” Nanda reports that she has never used any products, neither synthetic nor alternative, to control pests and diseases in her crops. “Using pesticides doesn’t work; it harms our health. I have never used any poison in the fields. I learned from my father. I never saw my father using any poison in his fields, and he always taught us to work like this without needing to use pesticides. The main pests that appear here are caterpillars, but when there’s more rain, they go away and don’t cause damage.” 

Building collective consciousness for collaboration and shifting attitudes towards agroecological production is essential for this organic project, which contributes to mitigating the negative impacts of climate change. “We help the planet, sometimes without even realizing it. We may not realize the importance of the work we do, but it feels great when we think about our contribution to nature.”