In June of this year, the final public session of the Municipal Forum for the Barro Alto 2030 Development Plan was held in the city of Barro Alto, Goias, Brazil.
The forum was developed by Ferreira Rocha in partnership with Anglo American Brazil.
The objectives of the plan are to promote and enhance new opportunities and local economic vocations, as well as to establish a productive and economic foundation in the municipality.
The perspective is that the Plan will be implemented by the year 2030.
The Plan is integrated into the Direct Influence Area (DIA) of the Barro Alto operational unit of Anglo American, which is focused on nickel extraction in the territory.
Its main objectives are strategically aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.
In this context, two SDGs stand out: SDG 08, “Decent Work and Economic Growth,” which is the main objective of the Plan, and SDG 09, “Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure,” aimed at promoting regional development through industrial diversification.
Region Specifics
The municipality of Barro Alto has a special economic characteristic, which is the presence of large mining and industrial ventures in its territory, with the Anglo-American unit being particularly prominent.
The scale of the mineral extraction and industrial unit in a municipality with just over ten thousand inhabitants has significant social and economic implications.
Among these, some aspects stand out, such as the high degree of economic dependence of the municipality on the enterprise, but also the opportunities that this situation offers for the city and the region.
Aspects such as job opportunities, municipal revenue, and demand for commerce and services are strongly influenced by the presence of these major ventures in Barro Alto.
In order for the municipality to make the most of the economic opportunities generated by the presence of these ventures, it is necessary to develop actions that strengthen the capacity of the municipal economy to take advantage of the income flows presented by this relationship.
It is in this context that the Plan is proposed.
Involvement of Various Actors in Plan Development
The methodological design of the Barro Alto 2030 Plan was based on the fundamental principles of social participation and community engagement, aiming to create economic solutions that are relevant for ensuring long-term prosperity of the local society, aligned with the concept of Social License to Operate (LSO).
The methodology was developed by Ferreira Rocha, building upon previous works such as the structuring of the Social Monitoring Forums of the Belo Monte (Pará) and Sinop (Mato Grosso) power plants, as well as the planning and implementation of the Economic Development Plan for the Municipality of Guaraciaba (MG).
Thus, the Plan was developed in a participatory manner, involving various representative leaders from different economic sectors of the municipality.
With these contributions, it was possible to gather knowledge and action capacity to develop and refine a diagnosis of local issues in Barro Alto, as well as collectively reflect on the guiding vision for the municipality’s economic development process.
In this regard, during the plenary session for the Plan’s presentation, local residents themselves presented the results of their proposals for the municipality’s development beyond/post mining, categorized by economic sectors.
On that occasion, Ms. Samyra, President of the Association of Traders in Barro Alto, commented on the FR team’s performance: “I want to thank Ferreira Rocha for their professionalism. It was truly an incredible experience for us. Both you and Monica, who was here with us, were truly maestros.”
In summary, implementing the proposed actions in the Plan will tend to prevent and minimize conflicts and cost contingencies, making Anglo American less susceptible to negative influences arising from future external or even internal events that could potentially undermine its credibility and level of trust among different stakeholders.
To watch the full plenary session, please visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkwWn6SHEaM and watch the complete recording of the 1st Municipal Economic Development Forum – Barro Alto 2030 Plan.