Felipe Sampaio is a Brazilian farmer from the Paraíba state, Northeast Brazil, who has always been interested in living in the countryside. When he started working, he went to a big city; eventually, for personal reasons, he had to go back to live with his family on a farm. The solution was to produce seafood.
The farmer began his shrimp farming career by watching his uncles’ breeding, which inspired him to start his production on the family farm. “Today, I don’t think about going back to the city. I really like my work,” he says.
After being attended by SENAR’s Technical and Managerial Assistance, Felipe mastered shrimp farming. The Brazilian Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock (CNA) training program taught him to improve his processes and implement methods that helped him double his production volume.
SENAR’s field technician, Renan Nogueira, arrived when Felipe had already been producing shrimp for two years. “He had two shrimp ponds but was not aerating the water in the best possible way. I spent some time working closely with the farm technician and, little by little, we made adjustments that brought good results,” says Nogueira.
After two years of beginning the technical assistance, Felipe is pleased with the results: “We have doubled some harvests. I think the assistance was and is very good. I’ve even recommended it to some friends.”
Training results
After the training, Felipe was a step ahead regarding animal growth and production. Today, he also works with polyculture ponds with both shrimp and tilapia (also known as St. Peter’s fish).
The farmer who left the city also makes plans for the future: “The intention is always to keep moving between the city and the farm, but I intend to keep the four nurseries I already have and increase the production,” he comments.
The technician who helped Felipe master the art of shrimp farming is also optimistic. “He has shown interest in managing the activity, always writing down his costs and earnings, and cares about keeping this control, too. I believe that after our assistance, he will be able to walk with his own feet in a promising way,” he concludes.