PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH AND THE NEW MODEL OF ARTISANAL COALHO CHEESE PRODUCTION IN THE COMMUNITY OF TIASOL, IN THE CITY OF TAUÁ

Abstract

By means of the projects (names translated from Portuguese) “Improvement in the Production and Processing of Brazilian Coalho Cheese by Family Farmers from the City of Tauá, State of Ceará” (Brazil), which was financed by BNB/Etene/Fundeci; and “Strengthening of the Local Interknowledge Network of Actors Involved in the Improvement of Coalho Cheese in the Family Production Units from the Territory of Inhamuns, State of Ceará”, which was financed by Agrofuturo, Embrapa Tropical Agroindustry conducted for three years a participatory research in the Community of Tiasol, in the city of Tauá, aiming at the improvement of the quality of artisanal Brazilian coalho cheese in that area. Thus, this article aims at showing the final results of this procedure. The projects enabled the family farmers to know and to be able to apply the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) in the family agribusiness of artisanal coalho cheese, and to develop, in a participatory way, two types of kits for the manufacture of artisanal Brazilian coalho cheese. They also enabled the family farmers to learn how to produce ricotta and milk drink out of the whey remaining from the cheese-making process. These actions contributed to an increase in income and in food and nutrition security, and thereby improved the quality of life in that community.