Brazil Land - Brazil Land-Based Poverty Alleviation Project

The Land-Based Poverty Alleviation
Project of Brazil is addressing one of the major factors
underlying poverty in the countryside: inadequate access to
land by the rural poor. Preceded by two highly successful
Bank-financed pilots, the project demonstrates the
large-scale viability of a community-based approach to land
reform. In the project beneficiary groups negotiate directly
with willing sellers for the purchase of suitable
properties. They obtain financing for the purchase of the
land, support for complementary subproject, and technical
assistance to establish themselves on or near the land and
to improve the productivity of the acquired properties. The
project is implemented by civil society through community
associations. Participation is also open to local, state,
and national civil society organizations, and to
governmental organizations, including the National
Confederation of Agricultural Workers (CONTAG). Associations
of poor rural laborers and subsistence farmers select,
negotiate, and obtain financing to purchase agricultural
properties from willing sellers. Project implementation by
community associations has been successful overall. The
design of the project places beneficiaries in the
driver's seat, and the success of community
associations in mobilizing members, selecting land for
purchase, designing a productive subproject, and
implementing it has been impressive.