São Paulo – This month, the countries affiliated with the International More Food Program have gained the opportunity of negotiating prices and discussing technology transfers directly with Brazilian suppliers of agricultural machinery, which is something they could not do previously. These and other changes have been made following a request placed by the countries involved to the Brazilian Ministry of Agrarian Development. The ministry has told ANBA that it hopes the modifications will lead to an increase in the number of countries served by the project.
The More Food Program grants family farmers access to a line of credit for purchasing agricultural machinery, milk coolers, irrigators, greenhouses, and to promote genetic improvement of their crops. The International More Food Program allows the participating countries to import equipment, in keeping with the program’s rules, in order to develop family farming in their territory.
Currently, the participating countries are Ghana, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Senegal and Cuba. But the More Food Program coordinator Marco Antonio Viana Leite has told ANBA that by the end of 2014, another ten countries are expected to call on Brazil to become affiliated with the International More Food Program.
The ministerial decree #65, issued on August 5th on the Official Gazette, provides that as of the second half of the year, countries wishing to purchase agricultural machinery will be able to negotiate more advantageous conditions.
“The ministerial decree #65/2013 sets forth that the benefited countries may negotiate prices and set technology packages for each item requested, based on the specificities of each country. The Brazilian machinery and equipment suppliers are also responsible for technology transfers,” said Leite. The suppliers will also be in charge of providing services to buyers, shipping replacement parts, providing training to clients, and operating the machinery.
New registration
In order to keep participating in the International More Food Program, agricultural equipment manufacturers will be required to register anew with the Ministry of Agrarian Development. They must contact the ministry by September 6th and hand in the documents required.
Under the More Food Program, family farmers may obtain up to R$ 130,000 (US$ 56,444) worth of credit per agricultural year, at interest rates of up to 2% per year, due in ten years with a three-year grace period. For collective projects, the maximum loan is R$ 500,000 (US$ 217,000). Farmers with gross annual incomes of up to R$ 360,000 (US$ 156,00) are eligible for the program.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
