Producer from the municipality of Pinhal Grande is the first to receive R$100,000 to implement an irrigation project in RS

The first Framework Statement for stage two of subsidy for irrigation projects was issued by Seapi (Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Sustainable Production and Irrigation). Rural producer Beatriz Facco, 29 years old, resident of the town of Rincão da Invernadinha, in the municipality of Pinhal Grande, in the Planalto Médio region, in Rio Grande do Sul, presented a sprinkler irrigation project (central pivot) and will benefit by the State government with R$ 100 thousand.

The property, managed by the third generation of the family, currently does not have any type of irrigation system and presented a project that provides for the irrigation of an area of ​​21 hectares, combined with a consolidated reservoir project with a flooded area of ​​2.15 hectares.

“This will be the first project we are setting up and I believe that by having irrigation on the property we will achieve better stability in our production. Supera Estiagem is giving us support, because in recent years we have suffered severely from drought and this program will add value to the products we develop on the farm”, highlights Beatriz, who works on the farm alongside her father Belmiro José Facco.

Today, the main crops sown on around 300 hectares are soybeans, corn, wheat and oats, in addition to raising beef cattle. According to the producer, with the installation of the pivot, the property will also start growing beans.

“In this harvest, we estimate a harvest of 60 to 65 bags of soybeans per hectare. But, with irrigation, the tendency is certainly to increase, reaching between 70 and 80 bags, as we will be able to supply the plant with water when it needs it. Then it will not suffer from water stress and, therefore, will have better productivity”, adds Beatriz.

Two other rural producers from Bagé, in the South region, also received the Framework Declaration for their irrigation projects. Both will receive the benefit of R$100,000 from the State government, after installing the system included in the technical project, which adds up to another 85 hectares irrigated in the future. In addition to these, eight other projects are being analyzed by Seapi’s technical area.

About the irrigation program

The State program will pay for 20% of the irrigation project, limited to R$100,000 per beneficiary. This is yet another action within Supera Estiagem, which seeks to mitigate the effects of the drought in Rio Grande do Sul, increase water reserves and irrigation and, consequently, increase crop productivity.

The action is aimed at all small, medium or large rural producers (individuals), and will enable projects to implement or expand irrigation systems (sprinkler, localized or furrow) and construction, adaptation or expansion of water reservoirs for irrigation purposes.