Indígenas de 14 aldeias participaram da atividade de formação sobre como realizar denúncia sobre contaminação por agrotóxicos - Foto: Lizely Borges
About 4,000 Avá-Guarani Indigenous individuals live in the far west of the state of Paraná at risk of glyphosate contamination
The substance is the active ingredient in Roundup
the world's best-selling pesticide for eliminating weeds from crops and even public spaces
itchy patches on the skin and diseases such as cancer have become part of Avá-Guarani's routine in recent years
a lot of people get headaches and go to the health center more frequently
We've never had that [before],” says Celso Japoty Alves
an Avá-Guarani leader and former cacique – Indigenous leader of a specific Indigenous community – of the Ocoy Indigenous community in the town of São Miguel do Iguaçu.
The community is one of three Avá-Guarani communities demarcated as Indigenous territory by the federal government. Even so, it does not guarantee security for residents.
"We're being harmed because there's no land protection regarding this issue
The machine has been spraying poison and various pesticides next to Indigenous communities
it reaches Indigenous communities,” says Alves
"All of these Indigenous communities are being affected by poison, mainly from soy plantations
There are two monocultures here in the region: corn and soy
There are around four thousand Indigenous people at risk from glyphosate because most communities have no protection
there is no green area or safe distance,” says the Indigenous leader
there are houses and on the other soy plantations where they used to spray poison.”
A 2023 survey by the Guarani Yvyrupá Commission (CGY, in Portuguese), which brings together collectives of the Guarani people from southern and southeastern Brazil in the struggle for land
except for three villages located in urban areas
all the other Avá-Guarani communities are next to plantations.
the distance between plantations and Indigenous homes is less than two meters
far less than the minimum distance of 50 meters from water sources
The survey also points out that around 60% of Indigenous communities’ territories have been taken by agribusiness
with only 1.3% occupied by small farms and Indigenous housing and 12% by forested areas
Some Avá-Guarani communities are located in the towns of Guaíra and Terra Roxa
and on the border between Brazil and Paraguay
According to the petitioning organizations
509 of the 661 agricultural establishments in Guaíra and 921 of the 1,209 agricultural establishments in Terra Roxa use pesticides
predominantly on soy and corn plantations.
which caused much of the Avá-Guarani territory to be flooded
The contamination of the Avá-Guarani people by glyphosate has become the subject of a complaint against the biochemical company Bayer at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for the harms of the pesticide on the environment and human health.
three other cases from Latin America joined the complaint made to the National Contact Point (NCP) in Germany
where Bayer's headquarters are located
The agency is responsible for promoting the OECD guidelines for multinational companies
as well as dealing with cases through non-judicial complaint mechanisms.
Glyphosate has been produced by the agrochemical company Monsanto since the 1970s
which was bought by Bayer for US$66 billion in 2018
consolidating the company as the world's largest agrochemical and transgenic group
Among the organizations that filed the complaint at the end of April are Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales
from Brazil; Base Investigaciones Sociales
from Bolivia; and the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights
The abovementioned organizations report that “the intensive use of pesticides contaminates rivers, food, animals and Indigenous peoples
Pesticides are used as a chemical weapon to confine Indigenous peoples to a strip of land that gets smaller every day
Dependent on rivers and springs to access water
Indigenous communities report frequent illnesses such as vomiting
especially among the elderly and children."
They also highlight “the disappearance of wild species of birds
game animals and a decrease in the number of fish and loss of food production capacity due to the contamination of rivers
affecting the food sovereignty of the Avá-Guarani people
There are areas fumigated with pesticides near Indigenous houses or roads."
a lawyer at the Brazilian NGO Terra de Direitos
explains that “the communities are surrounded by large farms
mainly transgenic soy with high pesticide usage
Indigenous communities have been denouncing a process of territorial confinement,” she said of the Avá-Guarani.
"Due to the presence of agribusiness around these communities
water and intoxication of Indigenous people – both acute and chronic – is alarming
Indigenous people are denouncing the process of losing biodiversity
because pesticides fall on these plants and they wither
their roots rot and their fruits don’t grow,” she says.
In the lawyer's words, this is also a state of “food insecurity” added to latent health issues
There are “reported cases of itchy skin
which are classic symptoms of acute intoxication
as well as many cases of depression and suicide
pesticides play an important role in contributing to mental illness."
"There are cases of miscarriages precisely because of pesticide drift [according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
“is the movement of pesticide dust or droplets through the air at the time of application or soon after”]
Several studies prove that having pesticides in these areas is a risk because they cause endocrine and carcinogenic diseases
which influence breast milk contamination."
“pesticides are used as chemical weapons against Indigenous communities” to expel them from ancestral territories they are retaking and curb the struggle for land demarcation
which includes areas occupied by agribusiness.
Brasil de Fato asked the National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples (FUNAI
in Portuguese) about the situation of the Avá-Guarani people in western Paraná state
the company said it has “no knowledge of the alleged incidents”
"Official approvals are regulated by numerous national and international laws and guidelines
Safety studies submitted for pesticide approval are conducted following the strict international guidelines of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
Our internal safety criteria are even stricter than legal requirements,” the multinational company said in a statement
All original content produced and editorially authored by Brasil de Fato may be reproduced
provided it is not altered and proper credit is given
All original content produced and editorially authored by Brasil de Fato may be reproduced
Metrics details
Indigenous health has posted complex challenges worldwide
which may lead to emergence and reemergence of pathogens
In addition to few Coxiella burnetii serosurveys in vulnerable populations
especially in developing tropical countries
no comprehensive One Health approach has focused on human-animal infection along with potential environmental determinants
this study aimed to assess the seroprevalence of anti-C
burnetii antibodies in indigenous populations and their dogs from 10 indigenous communities distributed in southern and southeastern Brazil
along with the correspondent healthcare professionals
8/893 (0.90%; 95% CI 0.45–1.76) indigenous and 1/406 (0.25%) dog samples were seropositive
with 7/343 (2.04%) individuals the 1/144 (0.69%) dog from the Ocoy community
located in the city of São Miguel do Iguaçu
All 84 healthcare professionals tested seronegative
burnetii impact may be even higher in indigenous communities
with no confirmed cases or serological exposure evidence to date in Brazil
burnetii serosurveys in vulnerable populations
particularly in developing tropical countries
no comprehensive One Health approach to date has surveyed the C
burnetii infection in indigenous populations
characterized by their close relationship with natural forest areas and wildlife animals
their dogs and healthcare professionals from 10 indigenous communities distributed in southern and southeastern Brazil
Map produced by the authors using QGIS 3.18
burnetii positivity in indigenous communities
It was observed a statistical significance between the seropositivity for C
burnetii antibodies in indigenous communities of Brazil
Ocoy was the most seropositive indigenous community
presenting 7/8 human and the single dog cases
Ocoy community was the closest to bordering countries
with frequent international crossing to visit other indigenous communities located nearby in Argentina and Paraguay
this community was the most inserted into wildness
historically transferred from their original area (which was submerged) and living at the artificial lakeshore of the Itaipu Company
effective in 1982 and the biggest electric powerplant dam in Brazil since
currently the third worldwide in electricity production
The other only seropositive human sample was detected at the Kopenoty community
likely exposed outside the indigenous area
the growth and significant changes may have influenced the wildlife relationship and predispose circulation of Coxiella and other infectious agents in such formerly isolated indigenous communities
Pidoty and Guaviraty indigenous communities
all located at environmentally preserved seashore and oceanic island areas
have also indicated that livestock distance may be an associated protective factor for C
Such pattern was not observed herein in dogs of Brazilian indigenous communities
further studies should be conducted to fully establish the zoonotic potential and associated risk factors of Q fever between dogs and humans
the study herein was also the first assessment in indigenous dog populations to the C
the gap in Q fever occurrence and impact in these communities has led to the pioneer study herein
it is possible to argue that the indigenous population evaluated herein are prone to be exposed to tick bite and becoming infected by C
or swine were allowed (or observed) in the indigenous communities
the present study has not mapped or surveyed livestock animals in the surroundings areas as associated risk factors
Particularly in the Ocoy indigenous community
livestock raising and production in nearby farms may be a potential source for the C
future studies should be conducted in nearby Paraguayan and Argentinean indigenous communities
to pinpoint and fully establish the source of C
and potential spreading by terrestrial international crossing of indigenous individuals
future pneumonia patients from the Ocoy community should be surveyed for Q fever as rule out diagnosis
as a guideline model for surveillance and prevention activities in Brazil and other endemic countries
with frequent international border crossing to visit other indigenous communities located nearby in Argentina and Paraguay
serving as an alert for international spreading of disease
Future surveys should be conducted in Paraguayan and Argentinian indigenous communities cross the border
to fully establish such infection risk and transmission
This study was approved by the Human Health Ethics Committee at the Brazilian Ministry of Health (protocol 52.039.021.9.0000.0102)
informed consent was obtained from all participants and/or their legal guardians
All procedures were performed in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations
The serosurvey herein was carried out in the ethnic groups of Guarani
Terena and Kaingang from 10 different indigenous communities
located in the Paraná state (six communities) at southern and São Paulo state (four communities) at southeastern Brazil
All six indigenous communities in the Paraná state were situated within the Atlantic Forest biome at seashore (3)
while all four communities in São Paulo state were situated nearby each other
The six indigenous communities of Paraná state included Tupã Nhe’e Kretã
These communities were characterized by living on natural resources for survival such as fishing and agriculture
and with poor basic hygiene infrastructure
and Guaviraty communities were located on seashore and oceanic islands
where biodiversity and traditional finishing culture have been well-preserved
while Tupã Nhe’e Kretã and Araça’í were situated in preserved areas of the metropolitan area of Curitiba
state capital and the eighth biggest Brazilian city with 1.8 million habitants
the far-west Ocoy community was marked by traditional indigenous countryside culture
high people movements through Paraguayan and Argentinean borders
and majority of individuals speaking only Guarani (and not the official Portuguese language)
The four indigenous communities of São Paulo state were located nearby and included Kopenoty
These communities were less traditional in indigenous culture than those in the Paraná state and had adequate basic sanitation
living mostly by agriculture as the main family activity income
Many indigenous people worked outside the communities
After signing an individual voluntary consent
human blood samples were collected from indigenous people and health professionals by cephalic venipuncture performed by certified nurses
and dog blood samples by jugular venipuncture performed by certified veterinarians
All blood samples were centrifuged at 800g for 5 min
serum placed in cryotubes and kept at − 20 °C until processing
Epidemiological data was collected using individual questionnaires
All indigenous people living in these locations were included in the study
Dog owners also answered epidemiological questionnaires with information on their dogs including age
burnetii antibodies (IgG) and risk factors (gender
and hunting habit of indigenous) was evaluated by the Fisher exact test (univariate analysis) due to the low number of seropositive cases (7/690)
The odds ratio (OR) was calculated with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) by median biased estimation
All statistical analysis was conducted in R software v
A P value of < 0.05 was considered significant
The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request
Scalco, N. & Louvison, M. Indigenous health: struggles and resistance in the construction of knowledge. Correspondência https://doi.org/10.1590/S0104-12902020000003 (2020)
Censo 2022|IBGE. https://www.ibge.gov.br/estatisticas/sociais/trabalho/22827-censo-demografico-2022.html
Overview of Q fever in Brazil: An underestimated zoonosis
Seroprevalence of Q {Fever} among the indigenous {People} ({Orang} Asli}) of {Peninsular {Malaysia}
Seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii in Australian dogs
Seroprevalence and risk factors of Q fever in an indigenous community in the Brazilian Legal Amazonia/ Soroprevalência e fatores de risco da febre q em uma comunidade indígena da amazônia legal brasileira (2023)
Seroprevalence estimate and risk factors for Coxiella burnetii infections among humans in a highly urbanised Brazilian state
Coxiella burnetii in slaughterhouses in Brazil: A public health concern
Seropositivity for Coxiella burnetii in suspected patients with dengue in São Paulo state
Q Fever: A troubling disease and a challenging diagnosis
Infectious disease issues in underserved populations
AVÁ-GUARANI: A construção de Itaipu e os direitos territoriais
de França, D. A. et al. Serosurvey of Coxiella burnetii in descendants of former black slaves (Quilombola Communities) of Southern Brazil. Microorganisms. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12010092 (2024)
Seroprevalence of seven zoonotic infections in Nunavik
Molecular detection of Coxiella burnetii in aborted bovine fetuses in Brazil
de França, D. A. et al. Serosurvey of Coxiella burnetii in police officers and working dogs in Brazil: Case report and One Health Implications. Trop. Med. Infect. Disease. https://doi.org/10.3390/TROPICALMED9040078 (2024)
From the approach to the concept: One Health in Latin America-experiences and perspectives in Brazil
Occurrence of the off-host life stages of Tunga penetrans (Siphonaptera) in various environments in Brazil
Tick exposure and risk of tick-borne pathogens infection in hunters and hunting dogs: a citizen science approach
Comparison of three serologic tests for the detection of anti-Coxiella burnetii antibodies in patients with Q Fever
Download references
To the Special Indigenous Health District (DSEI)
the Special Secretariat for Indigenous Health (SESAI)
for collaborating with our actions and collection
The present research was funded through the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development-CNPq (404687/2021–0 and 401302/2022–9)
Graduate College of Cell and Molecular Biology
Louise Bach Kmetiuk & Alexander Welker Biondo
Department of Animal Production and Preventive Veterinary Medicine
School of Veterinary Medicine and Animals Science
Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health
School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science
National Institute of the Atlantic Forest (INMA)
Rogério Giuffrida & Vamilton Alvares Santarém
Andrea Pires dos Santos & Alexander Welker Biondo
made substantial contributions to the conception
The authors declare no competing interests
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-60850-9
Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:
a shareable link is not currently available for this article
Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science
Last December, camera traps installed in Brazil’s Iguaçu National Park captured an image of a new member of the jaguar population resident in the region
raising hopes of a sustained resurgence in numbers of the big cat there
The female jaguar (Panthera onca), named Cacira, will be counted in the next census of the species, to be carried out in the first half of 2020. The census will cover both sides of the Iguaçu River, where the Brazilian park and the Argentinian one, Iguazú National Park
in a joint effort by researchers from the two countries
Cacira is part of a growing trend of jaguars in the Iguazú region
rebounding from a near complete loss of the population on the Brazilian side in the first decade of the century
In the early 1990s there were about 400 jaguars in this border region
but by 2005 there were only 40 individuals left
there were only eight left in the Brazilian park
The main factors pushing the species to the brink of extirpation were hunting and loss of habitat due to intense deforestation in this part of the Atlantic Forest biome
when the jaguar population reached 58 in both countries (14 in Brazil)
By 2016 researchers counted 90 (22 in Brazil)
“The goal is to reach 250 individuals
a number that the region could sustain in its current state,” says Ronaldo Morato
coordinator of Brazil’s National Center for Research and Conservation of Carnivorous Mammals (CENAP)
linked to ICMBio (the Chico Mendes Institute)
Argentina has a larger number of jaguars because the area covered by the census includes
two other parks in the province of Misiones and 400,000 hectares (988,000 acres) of forest
the census is limited to Iguaçu National Park
an 185,000-hectare (457,000-acre) green belt surrounded by crop farms
“The jaguar suffers strong threat in the whole Atlantic Forest because it is a highly urbanized region
two-thirds of the Brazilian population,” Morato says
“What helps the species in the case of Serra do Mar
in the mosaic of conservation units [in the states of São Paulo
Paraná and the frontier with Rio de Janeiro] is the fact that it is a very mountainous area
It’s not only in the Atlantic Forest where the jaguar is vulnerable — and not just in Brazil
the Amazon biome is the one that guarantees the jaguar’s long-term survival
the animal is threatened in all Amazonian countries
where forest areas have been replaced by the planting of palm trees for oil extraction,” Morato says
“The same is true in Central America
in addition to the Brazilian Cerrado and Caatinga [biomes]
The conversion of forest to pasture increases human access to those borders
and with that the possibility of hunting grows.”
The largest wild cat in the Americas
the jaguar is present in all Brazilian biomes except the Pampa
The jaguar is a key species in the functioning of the ecosystem
it regulates the population of herbivores such as peccaries
which in turn influence the type of growth of vegetation in the ecosystem
The increase of jaguars in the Iguazú region is the only case of its kind in South America
and can be attributed to a series of factors
the governments of Brazil and Argentina have worked together to organize and intensify law enforcement activity
and dismantling of illegal logging and hunting camps
Scientific research being carried out in the field has also deterred poachers
who are wary of the camouflaged camera traps monitoring the area
Another key factor has been the shift in agricultural patterns since 2007
The predominant farming activity before was cattle and sheep ranching
With jaguars being squeezed out of their habitat and facing a dwindling population of natural prey
prompting retaliatory killings by ranchers
That began to change thanks to two crops that elsewhere in Brazil have been strongly linked to deforestation and loss of biodiversity
Amid rising global demand for soybeans and corn
more farmers switched from ranching to cultivating these crops
thereby helping reduce the conflict between ranchers and jaguars
Illegal hunting hasn’t been limited to those reasons alone
“Southern Brazil has a strong tradition in the activity
and if they find a jaguar they often kill it,” Morato says
monitors the population of the species and carries out conservation efforts in the region
“The jaguar’s survival depends to a great extent on human tolerance to the animal
Our work seeks coexistence between the two groups through a change in perception towards felids,” Barros says
That effort includes a series of initiatives in recent years such as the “Jaguar chat,” where researchers talk with locals about how to manage their livestock and other animals properly to prevent jaguars preying on them
as well as what to do in the unlikely event of an encounter with one
“We are also evaluating how to encourage alternative sources of income for producers who have lost cattle due to big felids
Many of those ranchers own small and medium-sized properties
It is a way to compensate and dissuade them from killing the jaguar,” Barros says
“In the municipality of São Miguel do Iguaçu
We saw that he produced some cheese and we started taking his product to sell it in the park
we took 40 units and sold them in five minutes
He now calls it the ‘jaguar cheese,’ and also started to sell ‘jaguar vinegar.’ In addition
he installed an electric fence on the farm that prevents outside animals from entering the property.”
Another initiative is “Jaguar in school,” which consists of lessons and theatrical plays for children in public schools
reaching 1,500 children in 12 municipalities
There’s now greater acceptance of the big cat among the public
one of the country’s leading specialists on the species
but projects throughout Brazil are bringing together government agencies
There are farmers who still do not accept conservation initiatives
but people in general are friendlier toward nature
I have seen that attitude out in the field
when we approach farmers and rural workers
in a change that has been taking place in recent years.”
Paviolo, A., De Angelo, C., Ferraz, K. M., Morato, R. G., Martinez Pardo, J., Srbek-Araujo, A. C., … Azevedo, F. (2016). A biodiversity hotspot losing its top predator: The challenge of jaguar conservation in the Atlantic Forest of South America. Scientific Reports, 6, 37147. doi:10.1038/srep37147
This story was first reported by Mongabay’s Brazil team and published here on our Brazil site on Mar
The “fortress conservation” model is under pressure in East Africa
as protected areas become battlegrounds over history
and global efforts to halt biodiversity loss
Mongabay’s Special Issue goes beyond the region’s world-renowned safaris to examine how rural communities and governments are reckoning with conservation’s colonial origins
and trying to forge a path forward […]
Too many automated requests from this network
Pedro Colombari owns a farm with five thousand pigs in the small town of São Miguel do Iguaçu in the southern Brazilian state of Paraná
He started producing biogas in 2006 and uses it to supply his farm with electricity
“It’s easy to produce biogas in pig farming
The system is very simple,” says Colombari
the pigs’ waste gradually slides towards the biodigester through pipes.”
Biogas is a renewable energy source generated from the decomposition of organic waste produced by farms
The waste is directed to covered pools where its decomposition results in the release of biogas
What is left – called bio-digestate – is used as fertilizer
thermal energy or fuel for transportation with positive impacts for the environment: reducing greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere and lowering nitrogen or phosphorus pollution in streams
Pedro Colombari’s biogas plant generates enough electricity to supply not only his farm but three other properties nearby
The energy surplus is fed to the local power grid: “We save around a thousand dollars a month
so it’s a significant amount of savings.” After biogas is generated
he uses the resulting bio-digestate to fertilize his pasture
He decided to establish a pig farm nearby to supply his business with electric energy from biogas
Schaefer says he took this decision “for several reasons.” “First
we can rely on our biogas plant whenever there is an energy shortage in the city.”
His factory’s electricity bills used to count for 13% of the production costs
since brick manufacturing is an energy-intensive business
The biogas plant cut the electricity cost by half
“We already have plans to expand our pig farming
and to burn biogas to heat the furnace.”
According to the Brazilian Biogas Association (ABiogás)
Brazil has the greatest biogas potential in the world
data from ABiogás and from the International Centre of Renewable Energy (CIBiogás) shows that Brazil has only 366 biogas plants and only exploits 2% of its total biogas potential
Biogas could supply up to 36% of Brazil’s national electricity demand or cover 70% of its diesel oil consumption
Brazil is also the fourth biggest consumer of biofertilizer in the world and currently imports 65% of the biofertilizer it uses
If biogas – and therefore bio-digestate – production increased
it would represent a market opportunity for local companies
around three million cubic meters (106 million cubic feet) of biogas are produced in Brazil every day
ABiogás and CIBiogás estimate that the country could generate up to 81 billion cubic meters (2.8 trillion cubic feet) of biogas each year
if the potential for biogas production from agriculture
and urban solid waste were fully exploited
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) implements an initiative called Brazil GEF Biogas Project
funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and coordinated by the Brazilian Ministry of Science
The project aims to develop the biogas value chain in Brazil and to convert organic waste into electric power
The project also aims to promote employment and innovation by assisting agroindustry ventures in the south region of Brazil and plans to support municipal waste management businesses in the near future
ABiogás and CIBiogás are among the main partners
Beneficiaries will have access to up-to-date data on the supply of and demand for biogas
UNIDO’s representative for Brazil and Venezuela
believes that the immense volume of biomass available in Brazil allows for innovative business models
“The biogas sector in Brazil does not necessarily need technological development
as the technology is already well established”
“The added value of our GEF project lies in its ability to foster a conducive business environment with suitable public policies
Amadio says that the starting point for the development of a biogas strategy should be the end user of the core products
“The Brazil GEF Biogas Project intends to develop a biogas production chain based on the end-user demand
foreseeing the inclusion of the agricultural sector as well as complementary sectors
in a way that is integrated and economically profitable.”
Vinicius Guilherme Fritsch is the Energy Business Manager of Castrolanda
an agro-industrial cooperative in the state of Paraná. He oversees a thousand members and three thousand contributors involved in milk
Fritsch draws attention to some of the current obstacles that are preventing the sector from growing
“I believe that the main challenges are the costs of imported equipment
the costs for the automation of biogas plants and the complexity of properly designing a project in this sector."
On the other hand, he believes that the main economic advantage of biogas and biomethane production is the transformation of waste into something profitable and manageable
“We are able to monetize what was previously organic waste
and we can give it an appropriate destination.”
This piece was originally posted by the UN Industrial Development Organization
© 2025 Global Environment Facility, All Rights Reserved. | Legal
About | Privacy Policy | Advertising| Editorial | Contact Us
Subscribe | Login
MBA PROGRAM OFFERS 2-YEAR OR 1-YEAR OPTIONS
The Class of 2020 is diverse in other ways too
with another 28% being underrepresented American minorities
they bring a 618 average GMAT to Boston coupled with a 3.22 average undergraduate GPA
the largest segment of the class – 42% – earned their undergraduate degrees in Business Management
and Science and Mathematics (4%) also constitute larger blocs of the incoming class
just 6% of the class labeled themselves as entrepreneurs
The largest segment features students who previously worked in financial services
Olin received 604 applications for a spot in the two-year Class of 2020
ultimately accepting 70% of those who applied
Olin offers the flexibility of a one-year program
which drew 39 students with an average GMAT of 599
International students comprised 67% of this class
with women holding 36% of the one year seats
NEW DEAN LOOKING TO “REIMAGINE” THE PROGRAM
“[We want to] make it more entrepreneurial
As the market for graduate education is evolving
we’ll make sure that our MBA is evolving with it.”
That process has already begun, Rollag notes, with the school’s efforts to lengthen its reach in entrepreneurship. This includes adding new faculty in the field and expanding the Babson Institute for Family Entrepreneurship. In addition, the school has also opened its Weissman Foundry Center
which focuses on fostering innovation in graduate and undergraduate programming
and social entrepreneurship are all coming together under one hub and umbrella
That’s not the only area where Olin has been in expansion mode. In September 2019, the school will launch its Babson-MBA Dubai
a program for professional that will be housed in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)
and African commerce that covers 272 acres and boasts nearly 23,000 professionals
“The Babson MBA-Dubai offers students the opportunity to complete their degree in 19 months with an equal ratio of face-to-face and online classes,” Moody Moore tells P&Q
The expansion into Dubai will continue to broaden Babson’s global footprint
in an effort to educate entrepreneurs of all kinds everywhere.”
PROGRAMMING TIED CLOSELY TO CENTERS AND INSTITUTES
For Babson, this is the latest step in a larger strategy, whose last move was opening a hub in Miami last year to cater to prospective entrepreneurs in Latin America and Mexico
we’ve had a hub in San Francisco where we deliver our Blended Learning MBA,” says Kerry Healey
we have undergraduate student cohorts who spend a semester there
That facility has brought us much closer to the Seaport financial district and the innovation district in Kendall Square and enabled us to be a part of both
We now have hundreds of events a year there plus graduate and undergraduate courses.”
While the program is expanding externally, it still keeps a close eye on what’s happening on campus. In fact, Moody Moore considers the school’s extensive network of Centers and Institutes to be the most underrated part of the Babson MBA experience
“While other school may use a “look but don’t experience” approach
Babson’s Centers provide relevant programming and ongoing enrichment activities that strengthen the student experience and deepen their network and professional understanding,” she asserts
It’s a regular part of the Babson experience
COMING DECEMBER: A LIVE-STREAMED STARTUP COMPETITION WORTH $250K
Student team applying Olins ET&A methodology
This year, the Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship even added a new wrinkle. In December, it will partner with the Indian Angel Network (IAN) – India’s largest business angel network – to host a live-streamed competition with a $250,000 equity stake as a prize
we can give early-stage Babson entrepreneurs access to an experienced source of capital and a well-connected
successful group of mentors who have seen it all,” says Debi Kleiman
That network and experience is invaluable to entrepreneurs
particularly in the early stages or if they are first time entrepreneurs.”
have stirred the Class of 2020’s imagination
is looking forward to the Butler Launchpad and Summer Venture Program
Hamad Alfares plans to take advantage of Babson’s business support infrastructure
whose startup was selected to be launched at Santa Clara’s DEMO Fall ’12
is eyeing two pivotal events at the school
I’m looking forward to participating and being part of the Babson Entrepreneurship Forum and all it has to offer—speeches
I’m also looking forward to the electives abroad—studying an elective or two in a different country with new educational surroundings.”
ENTREPRENEURIAL THOUGHT & ACTION IS THE PROGRAM’S CORE
Entrepreneurship is undoubtedly Babson’s biggest draw
the program is held together by a patented and repeatable – ET&A
otherwise known as Entrepreneurial Thought and Action
ET&A is a deeply data-driven and profoundly reflective approach that harnesses an entrepreneur’s creative energies to help them to quickly identify their commitment
It starts with prospective entrepreneurs taking a deep dive into the what and the why
Entrepreneurship is rarely about simply making money
it comes with a purpose and a desired impact – one that will determine a venture’s scope and strategy
Such research will ultimate determine a founder’s risk tolerance – or what they’ll be willing to sacrifice to turn their dream into a functioning operation
ET&A practitioners are encouraged to take a small and calculated action
the Olin equivalent to Silicon Valley’s “fail fast” mantra
they bring others into the process for guidance before deciding whether to move on
This methodology is what separates Olin from all the rest
“Many MBAs have entrepreneurship as one of their strengths but
Babson has two big differences from the rest
entrepreneurship at Babson is the base and foundation of everything
the focus is on adding real value to society
ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET SCARCE IN THE BUSINESS WORLD
ET&A also has heavy application to established enterprises, whose success and failure are equally dependent on reflection, research, action, and evaluation. “The majority of students aren’t creating their own businesses,” writes Ross Chesnik, a 2017 Olin grad and Best & Brightest MBA
“The appeal of Babson’s entrepreneurship intrigue and status is that it attracts students who want to learn the principles of entrepreneurship to help them be better business leaders
Babson’s methodology allows its students to navigate uncertainty in any business setting
This skill set is still a scarcity in the business world
and Babson MBA alumni take these assets to heart
This advantage is only amplified in a small program like Olin
where students can get to know everyone personally
The faculty have also earned high marks from Olin students past and present
“Professors here consistently teach you how to use the course material outside of the classroom,” says Alex Green
“The faculty at Babson not only have given me helpful advice, but also have been forthcoming in connecting me to their network,” adds Ravish Majithia, another Best & Brightest MBA from the Class of 2018
“I owe a lot to the faculty members at Babson!”
the MBA program benefits from its location in Boston
Boston was ranked as the top metropolitan area for startups by the U.S
Chamber of Commerce Foundation for the second year running in 2018
thanks to a highly educated and skilled talent pool along with strong partnerships between government and business
“Boston is known as the up-and-coming startup hub that presents numerous area-specific offerings like high-caliber accelerators and incubators that allow me the chance to get hands-on experience in a cutting-edge startup environment,” writes Hamad Alfares
“This will enable me to be several steps closer to reaching my career goals and aspirations.”
Many plan to return to the home countries to grow their businesses and spread the word about entrepreneurship
“I have a deep desire for building a centre in my hometown that promotes entrepreneurship and creates more opportunities for people with ideas,” writes Manan Bhandari
“I believe in the talent pool available there
I will be able to be a part of building the infrastructure that will create a great innovation ecosystem.”
“My plan is to come back to Chile and work in my family business,” adds Benjamín Mujica Dittborn
with an MBA and five years in a big company as LATAM Airlines
is the right time to support my family and make my contribution to the companies we have
There are huge challenges in these companies but I’m looking forward to this!”
What led these professionals to enter business schools
What strategies did they use to choose their MBA program
What was the major event that defined them
Find the answers to these questions and many more in the in-depth profiles of these incoming MBA candidates
Our Partner Sites: Poets&Quants for Execs | Poets&Quants for Undergrads | Tipping the Scales | We See Genius
Website Design By: Yellowfarmstudios.com
Funcionários da Itaipu Binacional celebram casas indígenas sendo queimadas
em julho de 1981 - Comissão Estadual da Verdade PR
One thing apparently non-related to the other actually has not only a causal historical relationship but could also be
if the company fulfils the Indigenous demands
a way of alleviating the violence the Guarani people suffer; they
who have been fighting to reclaim their territory
Built during the Brazilian business-military dictatorship (1964-1985)
the Itaipu hydroelectric dam on the Paraná River submerged 135,000 hectares of land
much of this was Avá Guarani territory.
the binational company has committed to acquiring farms that are currently overlapping Avá Guarani areas and which
This negotiation is also the subject of what is called Original Civil Action (ACO) No
which is being processed by Brazil’s Supreme Court
One of the areas that could be permanently destined for the Avá Guarani through the ACO measure is the current center of the conflict over land in the region
when the Indigenous people carried out seven occupations within the Guasu Guavirá Indigenous Land
a non-Indigenous encampment has been set up next to the retaken land
perpetrating armed attacks that have already hurt 12 residents of Yvy Okaju
The most recent wave of attacks against the community began on December 29, continued through New Year's Eve and had its bloodiest episode on January 3rd
when two children and two young men were shot.
The retaken Indigenous village is part of the Guasu Guavirá Indigenous Land which
was identified and delimited by the National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples (FUNAI
the demarcation process has been at a standstill due to a lawsuit filed by the municipalities of Guaíra and Terra Roxa
both located in the state of Paraná and accepted by the Federal Court at the trial court level.
The continuation of land demarcation depends on a final legal decision in the higher courts. This, however, is also suspended until the Supreme Court rules on the validity or otherwise of the so-called "Time Frame Thesis" or cut-off point (No
The justice who will decide on the issue is Gilmar Mendes
who opted to create a ‘conciliation commission’
Ava Guarani children in the Yvy Okaju Indigenous community
next to where houses were burned down in attacks carried out by gunmen / Ava Guarani Community
Approved by Congress in September 2023 – days later and despite the Supreme Court having ruled it unconstitutional – the thesis is in force in Brazil for the time being.
The Avá Guarani are directly affected by the idea that only Indigenous lands occupied by their original peoples in October 1988 can be demarcated. Expelled from their lands between 1975 and 1982, when Itaipu was built, it was not by choice that they were not there when the Brazilian Constitution was promulgated.
While the legal knot doesn't untie the demarcation
one of the parallel ways to regularize the Avá Guarani lands is via Itaipu
Guasu Guavirá Indigenous Land has 24,000 hectares
The company has offered to buy three thousand hectares
Itaipu Binational told Brasil de Fato that the negotiations are being held by the Federal Attorney General's Office
with the participation of the Land Conflicts Commission of the National Council of Justice
we are really moving towards an end,” the organization said
Asked about the possibility of acquiring the 24,000 hectares of the Guasu Guavirá Indigenous Land
“within the budget we have and what is owed for historical reparation
it is necessary to acquire another 3,000 hectares
which will be added to the other 2,200 hectares previously acquired.”
Defending what it considers a “commitment” to ‘its socio-environmental legacy”
be one of the major funders of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30)
“The federal investment of BRL 4.7 billion (over US$ 811,3 million)
with BRL 1.3 billion (US$ 224,4 million) from Itaipu
is part of the federal government's strategy to make Belém an example of sustainable urbanization,” the company said
Brazil’s Ministry of Indigenous Peoples told Brasil de Fato that in August 2024 it signed a “protocol of intentions” with Itaipu Binational
aimed at “reparation” and “socio-environmental justice” for the Indigenous persons affected by the hydroelectric dam
“will not be commented on.”
“Faced with the demarcation of Indigenous Lands in Brazil and the delay regarding the deadline the Constitution establishes
the ministry’s position is to find solutions that put a definitive end to the cycle of violence in land conflicts
which deepened throughout 2023 and 2024 as a result of the cut-off point law,” the statement reads
Villages burned to the ground and underwater
from the Indigenous Missionary Council (CIMI
when the last remaining Avá Guarani community had to say goodbye to their village in what was then Ocoy Jacutinga Indigenous Land
the Indigenous chief Fernando Martinez and his wife Isadora Kamba'í
in Portuguese) and the National Institute for Colonisation and Agrarian Reform (Incra
These bodies were under the command of the military regime
They [the Indigenous people] saw – and to this day I can still see the scene – their houses made of wood and straw burning down,” says Rezende.
They had finally managed to “sort it out." Because the last ones to leave were the Avá Guarani,” says the missionary
the floodgates opened and everything was under water.
Photographs from July 1981 show staff from Itaipu's legal department posing in front of Indigenous houses set on fire
The images were provided anonymously by a former employee to the Paraná Truth Commission
which compiled the crimes committed by the dictatorship in Paraná
“After identifying the Guarani of western Paraná as an ‘obstacle’ to the project of building the binational hydroelectric dam,” says the Truth Commission report published in 2014
“the state worked to remove and expel them from their lands
which included denying them their ethnic identity by issuing ‘acculturation reports’.”
when the Itaipu Treaty was signed between the dictatorial governments of Brazil and Paraguay
INCRA took 12,000 hectares of land considered vacant and began resettling settlers
According to the Guasu Guavirá Identification and Delimitation Report (RCID
it aimed to relocate rural people displaced by the Iguaçu National Park and to “clear the land” for the construction of the power plant.
amid intense land conflicts in the border area
the Brazilian government invested in a project that led to the removal of more than 42,000 people from the region,” the report points out
“This expropriation process established compensation and resettlement criteria that served only holders of regular titles to these areas.” This was not the case for the Indigenous people
Also according to the anthropological study, during the 1970s, entire Indigenous communities were “murdered and thrown into the Paraná River, families were forcibly removed to Paraguay, their existence denied by various mechanisms” by the military government, “Itaipu, Incra and FUNAI itself.”
It was in Guaíra, where Vilma is, that the sanctuary for the Guarani people known as the Sete Quedas waterfall complex was also submerged by the dam. Unlike the Indigenous people of Ocoy, from the city of São Miguel do Iguaçu, Paraná, who were accompanied by CIMI, those from the municipality of Guaíra and Terra Roxa were the first to be displaced.
When Jussara Rezende arrived in Ocoy in 1981, the community was already completely isolated. “They were terrified,” she says. “The flooding was imminent. The farmers in the area had already been removed. On the road linking Foz do Iguaçu to Santa Helena, there was nothing left. Empty houses burned down, the electricity transmission line was deactivated. It was a scenario of total abandonment, a very deadly atmosphere,” she describes.
“The only people there were the small Avá Guarani group, resisting. And they stayed until 1982, until the very last moment. During the night, when they were performing their rituals, goons would suddenly arrive and shoot them, to intimidate them. It happened time and time again. I was astonished to see such a thing,” says Rezende.
“At that time, they didn't trust anyone arriving there. I don't think they understood what was going to happen. The only thing they knew was that there was going to be a lot of water. It was terrifying,” says Jussara.
To overcome the language barrier, CIMI asked the Guarani from other Brazilian states with whom they were already working – such as chief Antônio Branco and Marçal de Souza (the driving force behind the organization of Indigenous peoples as a social movement in the country) – to translate messages from Portuguese into Guarani. Cassette tapes traveled from one state to the other so they could talk.
In just one day in the Ocoy Jacutinga community, anthropologist Célio Horst carried out his “study”. For him, most of the families were not Indigenous. “A questionnaire was administered in Portuguese. Then, depending on the answers, there were points,” recalls Jussara Rezende. Among those who didn't receive their identity stamp was 101-year-old Mrs Francisca, who didn't speak a word of Portuguese and, therefore, couldn't answer the questions.
“It was the same story as now: They're not Indigenous, they're Paraguayans,” criticizes Rezende. On January 15, less than two weeks after Yvy Okaju was shot by gunmen, a news story by RICtv, an affiliate of the Brazilian TV channel Record, questioned the community's Indigenous identity. Without providing any proof, it implied that they were Paraguayans and criminals. The Avá Guarani responded with a 58-minute live broadcast.
The revelations of Itaipu’s classified documents
The Truth Commission's report brought to light a secret document about the case, written in 1987 by Itaipu's legal director at the time, Clóvis Ferro Costa. “On the one hand, my current personal conviction is that the Indigenous persons’ claim is not unreasonable. On the other, it is clear that the report on which Itaipu based its judgments is not true. I say this in private, to avoid judicial and political exploitation,” writes Costa.
At the end of the 80s, Avá Guarani groups previously dispersed in the municipalities of Guaíra and Terra Roxa began to regroup in villages. “The movement to reclaim land from that time started with those who were grouped in the areas of the current Karumbe'y and Porã tekoha, centers of Guarani resistance which, with the growth of Guaíra's urban sprawl, were swallowed up by the city,” says the RCID.
With population growth in the 2000s, these spaces became increasingly crowded and the struggle for retaking them gained momentum, leading to the emergence of 13 Indigenous villages within the Guasu Guavirá Indigenous Land. “It's when we get access to our history, the lineage to which we belong. We were also part of it, our great-grandparents were part of the expulsion story,” says Vilma, a young Avá Guarani leader.
“That's when, in 2009, there was another retaking initiative and that's when the fight for Avá Guarani territory began. It was no longer village by village, but our great struggle to get back to our territory,” explains Vilma. “Then came all this violence: Attacks, murders of Indigenous leaders, persecution. And today we are suffering in this clash. We're feeling it on our skin,” she says. She herself has shrapnel on her body.
“To this day, we are feeling the impact of the past on the present,” summarizes Vilma Rios. “And even if Itaipu buys the area, especially here in Yvy Okaju, it still won't be enough," she emphasizes.
“Even so, Itaipu needs to acquire this land and give it to us. We belong to it. The owner of the land isn't us, it's someone invisible, but in our lives at all times, whether in moments of struggle, pain, sacrifice or survival. As much as we can't physically see it, we can feel it,” explains Vilma.
“What connects the old struggle to the current one?” reflects Jussara Rezende. “At a point when it was no longer possible to resist, the Guarani of Jacutinga accepted 251 hectares. This is not reparation; it never will be. But it has made it possible to keep the struggle alive since 1982,” the missionary observes. “The difference,” Vilma says, “is that today we are not backing down.”
All original content produced and editorially authored by Brasil de Fato may be reproduced, provided it is not altered and proper credit is given.
All original content produced and editorially authored by Brasil de Fato may be reproduced, provided it is not altered and proper credit is given.
Photos: Vincent ter BeekBrazil’s animal protein industry comprises of various large cooperatives
opportunities are plentiful to promote its own products on a wider scale
Inside the control room of the Santa Helena feed plant a large green smiley hangs on the wall
It looks out over 4 employees studying their screens
“It’s a sign that the plant is very clean,” says Carlos EduardoGet full access to all stories on Pig ProgressThis Premium article is exclusively available for subscribers
Obtain insights from exclusive interviews
Dive into articles covering trending industry topics
Already subscribed? Click here to login
O endereço abaixo não existe na globo.com