Title: Maduro's Grand Agriculture Plan: La Vergareña Project with Brazil's Landless Workers
Venezuelan Government Collaborates with Brazil's MST on Agricultural Development of Expropriated Land Through Ecological Farming Practices
Hear ye, hear ye! The Maduro regime in Caracas revealed plans to kickstart a massive food production project, dubbed the La Vergareña Agroecological Project, on a whopping 180,000-hectare state-owned estate in Bolívar state.
This ambitious endeavor, known as Patria Grande del Sur, seeks to transform La Vergareña into a premier hub for agriculture and livestock farming. During a TV extravaganza on Thursday, the prez himself, Nicolás Maduro, proclaimed it as the biggest agroecological project spearheaded by campesino movements in the land.
With the potential to feed both Venezuela's domestic market and export to pals like Brazil, Maduro announced the Brazilian Landless Workers' Movement (MST) would lead the charge. He's planning to pen a decree to make it official. If history repeats itself, we might see the MST taking hold of the land in collective ownership. But let's grab some tortillas and hold our horses until more deets drop.
La Vergareña was initially established by the Bolívar state governorship but got snatched up by shipping and mining tycoon Daniel K. Ludwig in 1953. The titan used the land to breed top-notch bovines that thrived in Venezuelan conditions. Fast forward a couple of decades, and it got snapped up by the Benacerraf family in 1976. In 2008, Hugo Chávez put an end to their party, nationalizing La Vergareña under the 2001 Land Law.
But let's not waste time on the past. This hunk of land has remained more barren than a cactus in the Sahara, considering its remote southeastern location and limited road infrastructure. It's like the Wild West, sans cowboys. Electricity, water, and fuel? Forget about 'em. State capital Ciudad Bolívar is more than 200 kilometers away.
Last year, Maduro's regime decided to give La Vergareña a new lease on life and invited Venezuelan social movements to get their hands dirty. Workgroups were formed, bringing together government bods and grassroots organizations. But they'll likely need to up their investment game in infrastructure to boost the project's chances of blooming.
Community members contacted by Venezuelanalysis see the potential but warn that transparent and sustainable development needs to happen first. Venezuelan Communes Minister Ángel Prado visited La Vergareña recently and praised the project's potential for achieving productive independence. The project offers hopes of corn, soy, sugar cane, veggie productions, and beef and dairy cows, so let's hope it blossoms.
The Communard Union, representing over 100 communes in 18 states, has set up a permanent brigade in La Vergareña for several months. They've been busy setting up political and technical training programs and helping establish a commune within the estate.
Meanwhile, the MST, a Brazilian social movement active in Venezuela since 2005, will undoubtedly play a significant role in La Vergareña's success. This badass organization has provided training and technical assistance for agriculture initiatives in the past. With around 1.5 million members across 23 of 27 Brazilian states, the MST is making waves as the largest progressive social movement in South America.
Stay tuned for updates on this potentially groundbreaking project, folks! It's time to flip the script and put Venezuela on the path to food sovereignty. Maybe we'll end up exporting our excellence to neighboring countries one day. Fingers crossed! 🤞🏻🌱🐄🚜
- The La Vergareña Agroecological Project, a grand initiative by Maduro's regime in Venezuela, seeks to transform an 180,000-hectare estate in Bolívar state into a premier hub for agriculture and livestock farming, named Patria Grande del Sur.
- The Brazilian Landless Workers' Movement (MST) has been announced as the lead force behind the La Vergareña Project, aiming to provide food for both domestic and international markets.
- With the project offering opportunities for corn, soy, sugar cane, vegetables, beef, and dairy production, community members and grassroots organizations, including the Communard Union, are optimistic about the potential for sustainable development.
- Transparent and sustainable development, along with increased investment in infrastructure, is essential for the project's success in achieving productive independence, as emphasized by Venezuelan Communes Minister Ángel Prado.
- The MST, a progressive South American social movement, has provided training and technical assistance for agriculture initiatives in the past and will play a significant role in realizing the potential of the La Vergareña Project.
