‘We’ve been waiting 40 years for this work’, says resident of paved branch in Amazonas

Gabriel Abreu – Cenarium Magazine

IRANDUBA (AM) – The governor of Amazonas, Wilson Lima (União Brasil), delivered this Thursday, 23, the paving of the Santa Maria Branch Road (known as Branch Road 13), at kilometer 13 of AM-070, in the city of Iranduba (27 kilometers away from Manaus). For more than 40 years, the residents along the road have been waiting for the paving to drain their production and promote tourism. During the event, the governor also announced a public notice of promotion of R$ 20 million for the rural sector of the state.

The work on the branch covers 7.33 kilometers, with earthmoving, paving, drainage, and signaling services, and meets a request from the population during the announcement of the recovery of the Caldeirão road, also in the city. In all, 625 families are being directly benefited with the paving, and this number is equivalent to the residents of the communities São Sebastião, Boa Esperança, Nossa Senhora do Perpétuo Socorro, and Vera Lúcia. The investment of the State Department of Infrastructure and Metropolitan Region of Manaus (Seinfra) was R$ 5.7 million.

“We have been waiting for this work for more than 40 years. And now with it all paved it is much better. If you came here before, you couldn’t travel through the branch during the rainy season. And now it has improved 100% the flow of rural production, of people who work with fish, vegetables, fruit and vegetables, and also the coming and going of people who live in the communities that have access through the Ramal do 13. It has improved 100%”, said the president of the Association of Residents of Ramal do 13, Maria das Graças.

Maria also reports the problems faced by the students of the community. When it rained at this time, it was very difficult, because the buses couldn’t get there. Now they go to the students’ houses and can go to school without getting muddy,” said Maria das Graças.

Runoff

The families that live in Ramal do 13 produce food that needs to be transported to Manaus and many earn money by selling the products. The main farming activities in the region are poultry farming and land cultivation for planting papaya, vegetables, citrus, manioc, guaraná, açaí, buriti, passion fruit, tucumã and banana.

The president of the Association of Residents and Farmers of the São Sebastião Community (Amacs), Benício Saraiva, pointed out that the producers lost, before the paving, almost 90% of their products because they didn’t have an accessible road for the flow.

“It is of utmost importance for all the producers to dispose of their products. In my community, São Sebastião, about 90% of the products were paralyzed and even lost for lack of outlets, because we had no road. The trucks didn’t enter here [at Ramal Santa Maria] and the producers had to carry the goods in their hands until they got there on AM-070, in order to be able to embark. So, is an improvement of paramount importance for all of us”, said Benício.

Recovery of Branches

Since 2019, the state government has already completed more than 137 kilometers of branches and roads, totaling 23 works and approximately R$ 155 million in investments. Currently, another 134 kilometers of works are under execution in 22 branches, with investments totaling R$ 196 million.

“That is why I am coming here to reinforce my commitment to each man and each woman who are here in this branch. Reinforcing the commitment to keep working so that we can improve the lives of those who live here and those who need it so much. It is not easy to pave branches. In this first term alone, we paved more than 130 kilometers of branches and they all have this standard. This road here is supposed to last ten years. Given the proper maintenance, we will have the road without difficulties”, affirmed the governor.

Promotion of production

During the delivery of the Santa Maria branch, Wilson Lima announced the Notice 001/2023 of the Social Promotion and Poverty Eradication Fund (FPS) directed to projects in the rural sector. With resources of R$ 20 million, the development is intended to improve the flow of agricultural production, accessibility, dignity and quality of life of rural workers from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the capital and interior of the state.

“As of March 1st, the public notice is already available for cooperatives, associations, and organizations of the sector to present their proposals. The contemplated proposals go up to R$230 thousand. It can be through the Social Promotion Fund’s website, you can ask for help from the City Hall of Iranduba or you can go personally to the Government Headquarters, where the FPS is located”, explained the governor.

Governor Wilson Lima, through FPS, also delivered, more than R$ 398 thousand in materials for two associations in the municipality of Iranduba: the Cooperative Agricultural Iranduba (Coopiagro) and the Community Association St. Joseph of the Island of Jacurutu. The initiative will benefit more than 60 families in the region.