Be part of the agroforestry project in Ipojuca, Brazil

Details

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  Description

  Hi, I’m Marcio! For the last 8 years, I’ve been dedicated to a mission that is as challenging as it is rewarding: turning 10 hectares of degraded land in Ipojuca into a thriving, syntropic food forest based on agroecology.
  
  I live here with my young son (part-time), and we are right in the middle of a beautiful "re-building phase." This isn't a finished, postcard-perfect farm—it’s a living, breathing family project where we learn from nature every day and deal with the real, grit-under-the-fingernails challenges of rural life in the Brazilian Northeast.
  
  Cultural Exchange & Learning Opportunities
  Our project is a space for deep cultural and knowledge exchange. I speak Portuguese, French, and English, and I love sharing our local history, northeastern Brazilian culture, and the principles of syntropic agriculture.
  
  As a volunteer, you will learn hands-on about soil regeneration, food forests, and how a family-led agroecological project connects with the local community through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). We love sharing ideas, recipes, and home-cooked meals while discussing sustainability and legacy.
  
  Note on local community: We deeply respect our local community. We collaborate with local neighboring farmers and family agriculture associations to strengthen regional networks, and your presence here is meant to bring international perspective, language exchange, and collaborative learning—never to replace local labor.
  
  How you can share your skills with us
  We are looking for proactive people who want to immerse themselves in our daily rural lifestyle. You can support our family project in one of these areas (max 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week):
  
  Eco-Farming & Agroforestry Learning: Help us with the daily maintenance of the food forest, planting, weeding, and understanding local crops (cassava, fruits, agroecological management).
  
  Cultural & CSA Communication: Help us share our agroecological journey with our community! If you love photography, storytelling, or language practice, you can help us document life in the forest or organize our community communication for our local eco-conscious supporters.
  
  Rural Resilience & DIY: Help with small eco-construction tasks, organizing tools, or solving everyday rural logistics puzzles alongside me.
  
  Family & Childcare: Help me look after my toddler! As a father managing both the land and the household, having an energetic, caring volunteer to play with my son, practice a second language with him, or help around the house is a wonderful cultural gift for our family.
  
  Rhythm & Flexibility
  Life on a land doesn't always follow a 9-to-5 schedule. Around here, Saturday and Sunday can sometimes be the best days for activities depending on the weather or community dynamics. However, your two days off are completely flexible. We coordinate everything in advance, ensuring you have clear time to rest, relax, and explore the region. It’s all about balance and clear communication.
  
  Table: Nutrition and Truth
  We believe that regeneration starts with what we put on our plates. Our foundation is what the earth gives us: plenty of fruits and vegetables, roots (cassava, yams), eggs, beans, honey, and the traditional northeastern "cuscuz." We also consume meat, fish, and dairy mindfully.
  We value a high-standard, clean diet. Since we prioritize real food for everyone, we discuss the details of this dynamic and how we organize our pantry openly during our personal video interview before you arrive.
  
  Is this for you?
  If you are between 21 and 50, in good physical shape, and looking to apply your life experience—whether it’s a knack for organizing, creative skills, or experience with children—this is a match. You’ll experience exactly how an agroecological lifestyle is built from the ground up.
  
  The Setup
  
  The Vibe: Honest, simple, and community-oriented. We share two solid, home-cooked meals on helper days.
  
  Accommodation: You’ll stay in a cozy 3-bedroom house or a double-room studio with the basics covered. Internet is good, though limited at times, but the connection to nature is 100%.
  
  Location: 35km from the surf at Maracaípe/Porto de Galinhas and 40km from Recife.
  
  Transportation: From Monday to Friday, a free local school bus passes right in front of the property. We are located just 1.8 km from the BR-101 highway, making catching regional buses very easy.
  
  We ask for a minimum stay of 3 weeks. If you have initiative, creativity, and a collaborative spirit, we would love to welcome you!

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Farmstay help

  Babysitting and creative play

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance

  Help with Computers/ Internet
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  Interests

  

  Self development

  

  Farming

  

  Languages

  

  Gardening

  

  Books

  

  Carpentry

  

  Cooking & food

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  Hiking

  

  Yoga / Wellness

  

  Nature

  

  Adventure sports

  

  Beach
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  What's this?
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  By joining our home and project in Ipojuca, you will gain a deeply rewarding, hands-on experience at the intersection of family life and sustainable farming.
  
  On the practical side, you will master the logic of syntropic agroforestry, learning how to regenerate soil through stratification and succession to build high-yielding food forests. You will also dive into the business side of eco-agriculture by helping manage a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model, gaining experience in digital marketplaces and rural-to-urban logistics. Furthermore, you will develop resourceful, hands-on homesteading skills by tackling the daily puzzles of rural infrastructure and small eco-constructions.
  
  Beyond the skills, this exchange offers a profound cultural immersion where you can practice Portuguese and connect deeply with the warm, vibrant community and ancestral food culture of Pernambuco. You will experience an authentic, meaningful look at rural life, becoming a trusted part of a small team where your presence directly supports a single father and his young son. Ultimately, you will enjoy the best of both worlds, living the peaceful, grounded rhythm of the countryside while staying close to some of Brazil’s most beautiful coastlines.

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  Help

  TYPES OF WORK:
  Brainstorming and the landscape designing
  Creation of an agroforestry garden, permaculture, food and flower garden
  Planting, pruning, cutting trees
  Harvesting
  Seedling and nursery planning
  Conventional / bio-construction and maintenance work
  Feeding and taking care of animals
  Road clearing/ Forest management
  Bee-keeping
  And other general agricultural tasks

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  French: Fluent
  Portuguese: Fluent
  English: Intermediate

  This host offers a language exchange
  I'm always happy to speak different languages and learn about new cultures.
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  Accommodation

  You’ll stay in a cozy 3-bedroom house or a new double room studio with the basics covered.

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  What else ...

  SURROUNDINGS:
  Around the house there is nice walking path through the forest and rivers.
  We are also near the vibrant and fun surf town of Porto de Galinhas and Maracaipe.
  
  If you're passionate about life and nature, want to work on projects that matter, and leaving behind a legacy, I would love to meet you!
  
  Organic methods: We do mainly agroforestry and apply Syntropic principles as well as all other well known ecologic practices.
  
  Certifications: Ethically

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  My animals / pets

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