Elevating communities: Developing the dairy value chain in Brazil

Elevating communities is about making sure development is a shared activity. We do not impose solutions from above, rather we develop and trial programmes locally, support communities and help them create ownership for the answers to their challenges.

Collaboration is the key to unlocking a sense of ownership. This means sharing a vision with our communities and partners that informs all of development, from needs analysis to final evaluation. This approach helps us inspire enterprise and reduce disenfranchisement, making sure our communities thrive beyond mining.

The Crescer programme in Brazil

Crescer is our long-standing development programme in Brazil that addresses unemployment and develops rural economic opportunities for host communities around our Minas-Rio operations.

First piloted in 2013, the Crescer programme focuses on value chain and youth development. Starting with supporting various value chains, both dairy and tourism have emerged as the ones with the highest development potential in the region.

Crescer has been implemented with our long-term partners, TechnoServe, and, until recently, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Having completed its third phase, which focused on developing the dairy value chain, promoting tourism and building youth skills, the programme is now centred on strengthening the dairy value chain.

Making a tangible difference

Together with local government and private sector partners, we are working to support the dairy value chain, with a particular focus on cheesemaking, in the communities where we operate in Minas Gerais. Our joint work to enhance product quality is reflected in producers winning 63 national and international awards through 23 cheese brands. Additionally, we support farmers to gain certification, allowing them to access new markets and income opportunities. In turn, this is creating multi-generational job opportunities and supporting their families and communities.

To date, Crescer has supported over 2,600 jobs, with over 370 small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) supported, with an average sales increase of 32%. The youth employability development programme has trained over 6,300 young people, of which 4,051 were trained indirectly.