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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Eco Xingu

Enactus UFPA Altamira (
Non-governmental organization (NGO)
)
#SDGAction33591
    Description
    Intro

    Eco Xingu is a social business that empowers and employs a vulnerable community in the production and commercialization of eco-tubes, technology focused on the production of more sustainable and low-cost seedlings. The beneficiaries are rural family farmers in the Amazon. With our technology, we create more sustainable agriculture, avoiding the use of plastic bags in the production of seedlings, consequently generating less negative impact on the environment.

    Implementation of the Project/Activity

    Phase 1 Idealization (Sep 2020): Research on plastic waste in the Amazon; Socioeconomic research with farmers in the region; launch of Eco Xingu. Implementation of Phase 2 (Oct - Jan 2020): PET bottle collection actions and publicizing the project in public places in the city of Altamira; Selected from the Food Edict in focus Partnership with Cargill; Approved in the acceleration program - Amazônia UP; prototype of the ecotube; improvement of the prototype with regional species from the Amazon, such as Açai; market study and negotiation with partners; participation in the Polo Tecnológico do Xingu event and receipt of Cargill's financial investment.

    Results/Outputs/Impacts

    Through SDG 02: Providing access to innovation to improve seedling production, Eco Xingu contributes to this goal through low-cost technology for farmers; the indicator is the amount of eco-tubes being used. Through SDG 12: Through sustainable management and contributing to the reduction of waste through the recycling and reuse of PET bottles; the indicator is the amount of PET collected. Through SDG 14 - Life in Water: Contributing to the reduction of marine pollution caused by terrestrial activities and pollution of nutrients caused by the incorrect disposal of plastics near rivers. Long-term results: production of eco-tubes scaled to up to 3 regions in Brazil, reducing more than 1 ton of Plastic and CO2. In addition to being a reference in social business that contributes to SDG 02, 12 and 14.

    Enabling factors and constraints

    With the help of our partners, we were able to make the first prototype of the eco-tubes. The restrictions are being the direct contact with the communities, that due to Covid-19 the face-to-face visits were suspended. Our product uses the circular economy in plastic bottles in the production of eco-tubes. And it adds value to the production chain due to responsible production with the environment; when reusing PET bottles, you are left to create a new plastic; contributing to the reduction of natural resources spent to produce it. Our technology has an initial profit margin of 25%.

    Sustainability and replicability

    Agricultural communities in the Amazon have the opportunity to acquire high-quality and low-cost technology for seedlings production. With the economy in technology acquisition, families can invest money in basic needs or other agriculture areas: producing community gain professional skills (entrepreneurship, management, sustainability, teamwork, innovation, etc.) and technical training (applied hydraulics, waste management, systems production). Besides, the local population receives environmental education campaigns focusing on SDG 02, 12 and 14 on recycling and the global garbage issue on beaches and schools.

    COVID-19 Impact

    As most beneficiaries of the practice are rural producers who belong to the Covid-19 risk group, some activities had to be postponed, such as: visits to the communities. The contact has been through the cell phone. Having a certain impact on the implementation of the practice in Trans-Xingu communities. Due to the pandemic, rural producers in the risk group saw their production decrease. Through the implementation of the practice of Eco Xingu in the communities, it will be possible to generate a new income for the vulnerable and affected communities by Covid-19.

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    This initiative does not yet fulfil the SMART criteria.
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    Timeline
    14 September 2020 (start date)
    11 November 2022 (date of completion)
    Entity
    Enactus UFPA Altamira
    Ongoing
    No
    SDGs
    Other beneficiaries

    Xingu Incubator and Entrepreneurship Center of the Amazon supports the development of the business model, mentoring, and networks. Ideflor-Bio supports with technical knowledge and material donations. Cargill provides financial support and mentoring for the project's implementation. Joabe and Iselino support with technical support. Wilson Costa is a social entrepreneur who assists in the modeling and development of the impact business.

    Countries
    Brazil
    Brazil
    Contact Information