State Farm of Indigenous Youth of Roraima: Strengthening and valuing traditional seeds and the knowledge of organic production

My name is Raquel Pereira Viana. I am a 24 years old young leader of the Wapichana people. I was born and raised in the Tabalascada Indigenous Community, located in the Tabalascada Indigenous Territory, Serra da Lua region, municipality of Cantá, state of Roraima, Brazil. 

I have been working for almost five years at the Indigenous Council of Roraima (CIR), an organization in which I currently serve as coordinator of the Department of Indigenous Youth. In this space, we develop and implement lines of action aimed at:

●  Sustainability and territorial protection;

●  Political strengthening of indigenous youth;

●  Promotion of mental health and good living in our communities.

My trajectory is as part of the movement to strengthen indigenous youth protagonism, articulating actions that aim not only at cultural and territorial preservation, but also at the construction of alternatives that guarantee the future of youth and Indigenous peoples in Roraima.

The Youth Department is led by a central coordination, responsible for the organization and general articulation of actions. Its performance is decentralized through regional youth coordinators and local coordinators, who play a strategic role within the territories.

These agents have as their main responsibility the execution of initiatives aimed at strengthening, valuing and multiplying traditional seeds, also known as native seeds. The State Farm of Indigenous Youth of Roraima represents a milestone in the appreciation of traditional seeds and the construction of sustainable production alternatives. 

The project reaffirms the centrality of Indigenous youth in the defense of the territory. The actions developed aim to ensure the preservation of agrobiodiversity, strengthen cultural identity, and promote food sovereignty in indigenous territories, ensuring youth’s protagonism in these processes and the consolidation of organic production as a strategy of struggle and cultural resistance.

Indigenous youth in Roraima have historically played an essential role in the protection and management of indigenous territories, working in an articulated way with traditional leaders. From an early age, young people are involved in family and community activities aimed at food production, a practice that, in indigenous culture, is directly related to the preservation and restoration of ecosystems.

This participation highlights not only the continuity of ancestral knowledge but also the responsibility of the new generations in maintaining food sovereignty, environmental sustainability and the cultural resistance of the indigenous peoples of Roraima.

My work with indigenous youth began in 2019, as a local youth coordinator in my community. During this period, I worked intensely on the engagement of young people in the indigenous movement, always valuing youth protagonism and encouraging the creation of local projects aimed at sustainability. The indigenous movement in Roraima awakened in me the realization that collective dreams could be achieved through the joint action of young people, both from my own community and from other territories. 

In this sense, my initial work with the young people of my community represented a self-challenge, allowing me to develop skills and confidence to assume leadership spaces as a young woman and an Indigenous person. This experience highlights how local engagement can be transformed into expanded protagonism, strengthening the participation of indigenous youth in political, social and cultural initiatives on a regional scale.

In 2020, I was appointed by young Indigenous leaders from Roraima to serve on the Indigenous Council of Roraima (CIR), starting my career as an advisor to the Youth Center. Subsequently, in 2022, I was elected state coordinator of the indigenous youth of Roraima, a position that, in 2024, had its nomenclature changed to the position I currently hold: coordinator of the Department of Indigenous Youth of the CIR.

This trajectory reflects my commitment to the training, organization and strengthening of Indigenous youth, promoting initiatives that connect political engagement, sustainability and cultural appreciation of the communities of Roraima.

Acting in Indigenous Territories

Within the scope of the Indigenous Council of Roraima (CIR), I had the opportunity to participate in several actions with Indigenous youth, covering areas such as sustainability, political strengthening of the struggle of Indigenous peoples and mental health and good living of communities. During my career in the organization, I followed the implementation of several projects developed by young people in indigenous territories, contributing to the planning, execution and monitoring of activities.

In addition to my work, several young Indigenous leaders play a fundamental role in the practical execution of these initiatives. The regional youth coordinators and their teams work directly in the implementation of projects such as the State Youth Farm, encompassing young people from nine regions: Amajari, Alto Cauamé, Baixo Cotingo, Murupu, Serra da Lua, Serras, Surumu, Tabaio and Waiwai. At the beginning, approximately 40 young people participated continuously and with commitment.

During the State Assembly of Indigenous Youth of Roraima, we made a greater commitment: not to limit ourselves to lectures or debates on sustainability, but to act in practice, demonstrating the concrete results of the productions obtained through collective effort. Our goal is to demonstrate to traditional leaders the youth’s commitment to the territories and reinforce their responsibility to continue strengthening the community’s essence and indigenous knowledge.

Creation and Implementation of the State Farm of Indigenous Youth of Roraima – The continuity of indigenous knowledge at slow but firm steps

In 2022, the proposal to build the State Farm of Indigenous Youth of Roraima emerged, with the aim of strengthening and rescuing the traditional seeds present in indigenous territories. The project was planned to involve young people from all the base regions of the Indigenous Council of Roraima (CIR), with the vision that each participant could actively contribute and later multiply knowledge and experience in their own regions.

The first initiative took place at the Raposa Serra do Sol Indigenous Training and Culture Center, in the Surumu region, where corn and cuttings were planted. However, the results were not as expected due to unfavorable soil conditions, representing an important learning experience for the following stages of the project. During the initial implementation of the project, we faced significant challenges related to the soil conditions, which were characterized by hard and dry clay, with great difficulty in retaining water. 

This context required careful and adequate preparation to make cultivation feasible in a totally organic way, without the use of pesticides. However, due to a lack of resources and technical support, it was not possible to treat the soil efficiently. As a consequence, the plantations did not develop as expected, highlighting the need for investments in soil management and preparation to ensure future initiatives achieve satisfactory results and the success of native seed production.

In 2023, the project was relocated to the Raposa region, currently located in the Lago Caracaranã Regional Center, in the Raposa Serra do Sol Indigenous Land. The activities began in February 2023, coordinated at the time by the young leader Paulo Ricardo, who was on the front line, supporting the conduct and execution of the project. In another stage of the project, we had fertile soil with a good composition of sand, which facilitated the management and development of the plants. Soil fertility was enhanced through fertilization carried out by the young people themselves, ensuring sustainable and organic practices.

In addition, the closer access to water allowed irrigation to be done manually and daily by the young people, this management was essential for the healthy growth of crops. All planting was conducted in a totally organic way, reinforcing the project’s commitment to the preservation of native seeds, environmental sustainability and the practical training of indigenous youth in responsible cultivation techniques.

The project had the participation of approximately 40 young people from seven regions: Raposa, Amajari, Serra da Lua, Serras, Murupu, Tabaio and Baixo Cotingo. These young people were responsible for the daily execution of the activities of the garden, organized in a structured way, including soil preparation, planting and seed care. Throughout the process, a constant dialogue was maintained with the youth about the importance of the farm, reinforcing that the initiative not only guarantees the preservation of traditional seeds, but also represents an essence of struggle and resistance for indigenous territories, consolidating the connection between sustainability, culture and youth protagonism.

Results and Structure of the State Farm of the Indigenous Youth of Roraima

During the course of the project, we planted several varieties of traditional seeds, including corn, cassava, purple and white potatoes, peppers and vegetables. The results were positive, reflecting the collective effort of Indigenous youth, and were presented to traditional leaders during the general assemblies of the Tuxauas (chiefs and major leaders).

Some seeds, such as maize and cuttings, were later donated to communities and regions that suffered losses in their crops during the shortage that began in 2024, demonstrating the project’s direct impact on food security and the preservation of traditional seeds.

In addition to the planting area, in 2024, we started the construction of a flour house with a room for the storage of seeds produced in the field. The structure is still in the completion phase and will be inaugurated after the completion of the works. The construction of this space represents a collective dream, made possible through the effort and dedication of many young people and indigenous leaders, symbolizing the capacity for articulation, cooperation and commitment to the preservation of territories.

Through the State Farm of Indigenous Youth of Roraima, we have made significant progress in reconnecting with traditional knowledge. The Restoration Stewards program represents an important opportunity to continue sharing knowledge, practices and experiences, promoting exchange with communities and networks of people with experience in ecosystem restoration in indigenous territories. For me and for the Indigenous youth, the multiplication of native seeds in the territories symbolizes the strengthening of our roots and the maintenance of our ancestry and traditional cultural riches that cross generations. We take responsibility for preserving and transmitting these cultural practices through concrete actions, ensuring that our seeds remain alive and multiply, benefiting many generations in indigenous territories.