Video

Interview with Pierre Landolt

N&M: It seems as if one of your main concerns, long before you started growing organically, has been the living situation of the people. Could you give some examples of what motivated you to get involved here?

Pierre: Since 1977, I decided to leave my life in Europe to live on the farm with my family. Not an easy decision, especially for my wife! I was convinced that the root of the widespread poverty in the region was partially due to the lack of access to new technologies. Everybody was struggling. We were trying to live with the climate and the droughts and were constantly seeking the best way to live and work in these tough conditions. Today, we are having a positive influence on the population in the region, we employ almost 150 people and more than 44 families are living on the farm. Now, migration is no longer the only option. 

N&M When did you switch to organic agriculture and why ?

Pierre:  In 1998, after another severe cycle of droughts, I noticed that local organic farms were more drought tolerant than their conventional counterparts. This intrigued me and I wanted to find out more. During my research, I was introduced to bio-dynamic agriculture and I was convinced that this way of farming came the closest to my ideal of a self reliant farm with integrated agricultural activities.

N&M: We can distinguish two different activities here at Fazenda Tamanduá, the commercial activities and the preservation of the area in the private nature reserve. How do you manage those two?

Pierre: The challenge of finding a balance between economic activity, preservation of nature and pleasant scenery inspires me every day.  One of the biggest concerns is the preservation of the fragile environment of the Sertão. We had to adapt a lot of traditional systems used here, dialogue with the sertanejos and vaqueiros in order to rediscover the traditional medicines used for the animals, and be as humble as possible to learn from them. We tested and introduced more resistant cultures such as sorghum. We are testing millet today. We tested and introduced a more resistant Gramineae, the buffel-grass, which maintains and improves pasture and reacts very well with the local leguminous plants. We began systematically using level curves in the fields. Through bringing more technology to the traditional activities of the region, we are working to increase the productivity in the area while preserving traditional crops. We started with combining cotton and cattle. Bringing in technology can help increase the farmers’ income. And with an increased income for the farmers in the area, their activities became strengthened and their livelihoods more secure. Actually we are testing the emulsificated oil of jatropha curcas, as an acaricide and insecticide, a drought tolerant plant regarded as a solution for production of biodiesel in arid regions. It seems promising!