The Companhia Hidrelétrica Teles Pires (CHTP) will serve over 1,000 indigenous people with the construction of 14 Flour Houses in villages of the Apiaká, Kayabi and Munduruku ethnicities in the municipalities of Apiacás (MT) and Jacareacanga (PA) in the low Teles Pires region. The works offer a suitable structure for the production of manioc flour, used for their own consumption and in income generation by families.
Flour is among the main foods produced and consumed by indigenous peoples. According to CHTP's Environment Manager, Ivan Bichara, in June and July, CHTP delivered the first six units built in the villages of São Benedito, Coelho, Tukumã, Dinossauro, Kururuzinho and Minhocuçu of the Kayabi people. “We have promoted several activities to strengthen traditional subsistence agriculture in the three ethnic groups, encouraging the formation of new fields, technical assistance, workshops, distribution of seedlings and seeds and, now, we will conclude the structural part with the delivery of the flour mills for manioc processing", said Bichara.
A resident of the Kururuzinho village, Juvenildo Kayabi, explains that the construction of flour mills facilitates the daily life of families in the food manufacturing. “Families had to leave their homes and go to other villages to make flour. Now it's faster, we can organize and do it in our own village whenever we need it", he said.
In the coming months the project will complete the works of eight other flour mills in the Barro Vermelho village of the Kayabi people; Teles Pires villages, Papagaio, Posto Velho, Bom Futuro, Vista Alegre and Caroçal of the Munduruku people and Mayrowi village of the Apiaká people.
The flour mills are part of the actions of the Indigenous Environmental Basic Plan developed by Companhia Hidrelétrica Teles Pires in 14 villages in the low Teles Pires in accordance with the environmental licensing of the project conducted by Ibama.CHTP is controlled by the Neoenergia Group (51%), whose partners are Eletrosul (24.5%) and Furnas (24.5%), both of the Eletrobrás group.