Mandalla 
Proposal Agencia Mandala Sernativo (Acari, RN)
A Holistic Systematic Environmental Development Project
Programa Nacional de Turismo Rural na Agricultura Familiar, que está sendo implantado no Rio Grande do Norte. Este ano serão realizados 47 eventos visando mobilizar agricultores familiares, pescadores artesanais, mulheres e jovens com aplicação de investimento de R$ 92 mil.
O objetivo do programa é promover a revitalização do território rural e resgatar e manter a auto-estima dos agricultores familiares; estimular o desenvolvimento da agroecologia e servir de complemento às atividades da produção familiar oferecendo produtos locais. O investimento que beneficiará, em princípio, 500 pessoas visa potencializar os sistemas produtivos diversificados nas regiões onde o projeto será ativado.
Beside the idea of eco-tourism from the hotel fazenda Sernativo, we have added a new project of implanting mandallas to benefit local residents both on the ranch property as well as in the entire seridó region.
A National Program of Rural Tourism in Family Farming is being deployed in Rio Grande do Norte. This year there will be 47 events designed to mobilize farmers, artisanal fishermen, women and young people with implementation of investment of $ 92 thousand.
The objective of the programme is to promote the revitalization of rural areas and restore and maintain the self-esteem of family farmers; stimulate the development of agroecology and shall complement the activities of household production offering local products. The investment will benefit, in principle, 500 people aiming to empower the diverse production systems in regions where the project will be enabled.
MANDALLAS
A mandalla is an agricultural structure formed by nine concentric circles in which cultivation areas are set up around a circular reservoir, six to twelve meters in diameter and with a capacity of 30,000 + liters of water, from where the irrigation system spreads, irrigating the crops, and providing a habitat for fish and fowl. The reservoir can be supplied by a well, a cistern, a river or any other source of water.
Goats, chickens, ducks and quail and a dirversity of plants live together in a 2,500 m² area forming an interactive system, where one element's needs are met by another's production or waste. For instance, the chickens and ducks offer manure and revolve the soil while feeding off undesirable weeds.
After a year of mandalla operation, the perdiction of gross income for an average mandalla is around R$ 1,700.00 (minimum) per month (around US$ 1,000.00) to an advanced full operation around as high as R$ 5,000.00 (US$ 2,900.00) per month.
A 4 hectare plot (10 acres) can support from 5 - 8 mandallas, nurseries, and support activities including the operators family residence. Each pond can support from 2,000 - 3,000 fish (tilapia).
A five hectare operation in Cuite, Paraiba, produces an average gross income of R$ 50,000.00 (US$ 29,500.00) per month including sale of fish products.
Before a mandalla can be built, an appropriate location has to be found, and the community has to be motivated to join the project and perform it. One important task for organizers is to identify people who are really interested in the project and to select leaders among these participants. The families receive training and a minimum wage for six months until the mandalla yields its first produce.
The irrigation system includes three circles of plastic tubes that are fed by a pump and are placed at the distance of two meters from each other. Simple solutions, such as cotton buds that are cut and fixed to the pipe, ensure the proper distribution of water. Leaf and non-leaf vegetables, roots and tubers, as well as spices and fruit trees may be planted in these cultivation areas.
The mandalla is also used to breed fish. A lamp placed over the tank or pond attracts insects at night to feed the fishes. Fowl, such as ducks, help "fertilize" the water, and also serve as a source of food for the families. They are encouraged to raise chickens and goats as a supplementary source of meat, milk and related products. The surplus may be sold.
Implementing each mandalla project costs around USD 1,500. This money covers the construction of the mandalla, the purchase of seeds and animals, and the initial support for the familes for six months. Apart from financial constraints, restricted access to water in the area is a major obstacle to expansion of the project. More mandallas, however, are urgently needed because the current agricultural surplus does not provide significant income for the communities.
Since January 2001, Agência Mandalla, founded by Tecnico Willy Pessoa, has built mandallas for 63 families in the settlements of Acauã, Santa Helena (since January 2004) and Santa Luzia, community of Picuí, owned by restaurant owner Sr. Mero, located in three impoverished regions of semiarid Paraíba. Mandallas are simple but effective agricultural structures in which a circular reservoir forms the core of a cultivation area.
The water in the reservoir irrigates the crops, and provides a habitat for fish and fowl.
The mandallas provide an important basis for survival for families and communities. They enable families to cultivate vegetables and fruit, and to raise small livestock such as chicken, goats and fish. The families undergo six months of training while the mandala is built and receive a minimum wage during this time.
Interviews revealed that families who joined the program were able to considerably raise their standard of living. Most were able to sell surplus goods on the local market.
Mandalla in Santa Helena, Paraíba
The centerpiece of the mandala is the collecting basin from which water is supplied to the beds arranged in nine concentric circles. The inner circles are the quality of life circles. The fruit and vegetables grown here supply the family's own needs. The outer beds are called economic productivity circles. The products harvested there are for sale on the market. The environmental equilibrium circle around the perimeter is a natural protective barrier against animals. Trees and palms not only provide fruit, but also shade for the beds.
The water basin is also used to raise fish and waterfowl. A set of pens usually is placed next to the pond, before the first rows of plants.
OBS: The Sernativo Project in Acari, RN, has the main objective of saving the ecological reserve RPPN Sernativo (157 hectares) located on the banks of the Gargalheiras lake. The project will support also a small community (7 families) of small farmers. The plan is to install 35 - 40 mandallas to benefit these families and a Mandalla Uni-Center which will act as a school to train other rural families about the system.
Both students and visitors will be housed in the projected guest ranch hotel to be located on the property. Social development projects such as this mandalla project are also a tourist attraction.
Watch the video in English
Global Rural TV Report I & II (Brazil)
Paginas da ONG Mandalla (Portuguese)
October 8, 2008
Mandalla Franchise
Mandalla production Report on Tilapia production - Brazil produces 30,000 tons per year
Tilapia are sometimes known as “aquatic chicken”, due to their high growth rates, adaptability to a wide range of environmental conditions, ability to grow and reproduce in captivity and feed on low trophic levels. As a result, these fishes have become excellent candidates for aquaculture, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. Indeed, tilapia culture has been expanding rapidly, and is now practiced in more than one hundred countries worldwide.
To meet the demand for tilapia fingerlings, we would establish at Sernativo a private fish hatchery. Although some fish-farmers specialize in just fingerling production, many of them are engaged in fingerling and food fish production simultaneously. As the indury expands, farmers realize the importance of using good quality fingerlings. As long as the demand for fingerlings exists, a well-managed hatchery is a lucrative business.
We would also do Tilapia cage culture which is growing tilapia in cages made of nylon nettings and bamboo frames that are floated, submerged or fixed at the bottom. The system utilizes bodies of water such as dams, rivers, lakes, bays, reservoirs and coves. We have the Gargalheiras reservoir alongside Sernativo and the government agency DNOCS which is responsible has approved fish culture. This system is one of the effective technologies used in raising tilapia. Approximatel 200 fish and be raised in each cubic meter cage. Over 500 fingerlings can be raised in the same size cage.
AQUACULTURE TILAPIA FISH FARM
Agencia Mandalla in Cuite, Paraiba, reports that they maintain over 20 tons of live tilapia in stock in their ponds. Sernativo, because of the added cages, could easily stock over 40 tons of live fish. We would require a separate building for processing as production increases.
Processing Tilapia
Medicine Plant 'Horta' to be located on the ranch
Processing herbal plants for cosmetic oil
