The concept of "Sustainable Development" is, without doubt, one of the ideals the the present humanity needs the most.  The modern man lost the notion of healthy and harmonious co-living with Nature.

Specifically in the last century, much more was destroyed in the world than in all of the centuries before together.  The industrial Revolution, the exploitation mentality both of communism and capitalism, the idea of "unlimited progress", the artificial urban life, the materialism, greed, the irresponsibility towards future generations are some of the causes of unbalance   among Man and Nature, of their deterioration and consequent destruction of our Planet as a whole organism. It's like the history of the “Golden Egg Chicken”— the owner of the chicken was greed for its golden eggs, but was not worried in feeding it, and ended up losing it all.  In the same manner, keeping the immediate profit , greed and exploitation mentality that penetrated our society, healthy life, with opulence which is natures gift, is basically  impossible for the future of this Planet.

Sustainable Development means to know and to respect the natures cycles.  Mother nature is supplying all of our necessities.  We are able to extract unlimited resources, as long as we have the vision to observe and respect the time that it demands to reestablish itself.  Therefore, sustainable agriculture means a productive activity where this natures recuperation time is part of the program, with the intuit that the production cycle may repeat itself continuously, not being interrupted by the weakening and destruction of the natural resources.   

One of the hopes for the reconstruction of the planets forest covering is the use of agro-forestry. Different from the conventional type of agriculture and cow-raising, that requires big deforestation processes to create usable areas, the agro-forestry practice enables native species to live together with the productive species.  Instead of monoculture, agro-forestry enables cultivation of different species at  the same time. Many kinds of trees, like for example the Banana Tress, are much more productive and less vulnerable to diseases in a forest environment, with no need to turn to pesticides and other chemicals that are very dangerous both for the plants and for who else is in touch with them. In this environment the Banana Trees live together with other kinds of fruit trees, as well as palm trees and other species.

Another type of agro-forestry is the one that has been developped and used by the Swiss researcher living in Brasil, Ernest Göeth.  His technique works from an area totally depredated. Many different types of vegetable species are introduced simultaneously.   In the beginning the trailing species will grow; on a second stage, small trees; and than, the forest covering will appear with the bigger trees. In all of theses stages, the land will produce economically.  A very important aspect of this forest recovering process is that, the soil, instead of getting weak, will be getting richer and richer in nutrients, due to the constant deposit of organic material in the land, and protection from the direct contact of sun and flowing water.  The trees, when in a adult stage, can be used for wood, and then the cycle can again restart, now with a rich soil.

In Goura-Vrindávana, we are applying this agro-forestry principles.  Four scientific research projects are going on, that are part of a global project called PRODETAB, financed by the World Bank and Brazilian Government. Theses projects have been managed In Goura-Vrindavana by many different institutions: Rio de Janeiro Federal University, EMBRAPA— Instituto de Agrobiologia e REBRAF— Rede Brasileira Agro-florestal.

The Dried Banana production of Goura-Vrindávana, that represents the most important economic bases of the project, is being managed strictly according to the sustainable development principles.

An other very important aspect of sustainable development that is being worked out in Goura-Vrindávana is the energetic resource. We have developed an electric energy self-sufficient project from water-fall resource that supplies energy to the whole farm. ( see pictures here ).  We are also working to use other sources, such as solar energy.

Some other ideas of the project in this field:

·        Install a biodigestor for production of bio-gas and bio-fertilizer.

·  Develop medicine herbs plantation for production of paints, extracts, teas, and natural medicine.

·        Enhance the activities of the drying factory, so we can also dry other kinds of fruits, vegetables, herbs, so on.

·        Develop other kinds of plantation using agro-forestry.

·        Develop the handling of bulls for plowing and traction works.  Try to keep theses practices alive, since they have been loosing space for machines and other artificial techniques.