Centro de Tecnologias Alternativas da Zona da Mata (CTA-ZM)

What Centro de Tecnologias Alternativas da Zona da Mata (CTA-ZM) does

Centro de Tecnologias Alternativas da Zona da Mata (CTA-ZM) is a Brazilian civil society organization (organiza\u00e7\u00e3o da sociedade civil) founded in 1987 in Vi\u00e7osa, Minas Gerais, operating across the Zona da Mata, Leste de Minas, and increasingly in the Vale do Ribeira (SP). The organization promotes agroecology as science, practice, and movement through three core programs: Programa Sociobiodiversidade (biodiversity conservation, creole seeds, agroforestry), Programa Mulheres e Agroecologia (rural women's empowerment via the Cadernetas Agroecol\u00f3gicas methodology, feminist formation, and economic autonomy), and Programa Educa\u00e7\u00e3o e Agroecologia (environmental education through Curupira and Conviver projects and the Quintal Escola living laboratory). Distinctive proprietary social technologies include the Cadernetas Agroecol\u00f3gicas political-pedagogical instrument, the SPG Flori\u00e3o participatory organic certification system, and the Programa de Forma\u00e7\u00e3o Feminismo e Agroecologia (PFFA), all supported by an extensive publication library and the Observat\u00f3rio das Cadernetas.

CTA-ZM serves a long-tail of family farmers, rural women, rural youth, traditional and quilombola communities, and rural schools across 142 municipalities in the Zona da Mata region. The organization does not charge for services to farmers; instead, it operates on a grant-funded nonprofit model with three primary revenue streams: government Termos de Fomento from the Minist\u00e9rio do Desenvolvimento Agr\u00e1rio e Agricultura Familiar (MDA), with disclosed awards between 2021 and 2024 totaling approximately R$ 1.1 million; international development support from ActionAid Brasil, Brot f\u00fcr die Welt (P\u00e3o para o Mundo), Fundo Socioambiental Caixa, and Ecoforte/Funda\u00e7\u00e3o Banco do Brasil; and modest solidarity-economy revenue from the vendinha, brech\u00f3 (thrift shop), and weekly Feira da Violeira. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on field-based technical assistance, popular education, knowledge exchanges, and the annual Troca de Saberes at UFV.

The organization is structurally embedded in Brazil's agroecology movement, having helped found the Articula\u00e7\u00e3o Nacional de Agroecologia (ANA), Articula\u00e7\u00e3o Mineira de Agroecologia (AMA), GT Mulheres da ANA, and the Polo Agroecol\u00f3gico e de Produ\u00e7\u00e3o Org\u00e2nica da Zona da Mata (Lei 23.207/2018). It holds state and federal public utility status and filantr\u00f3picos recognition. CTA-ZM is governed by a Coordena\u00e7\u00e3o Executiva, an elected Diretoria, and a Conselho Fiscal, with an operational team of approximately 18 staff members across executive coordination, financial management, communications, administrative management, and program coordinators.

Name

Centro de Tecnologias Alternativas da Zona da Mata (CTA-ZM)

Legal name

Centro de Tecnologias Alternativas da Zona da Mata

Website

https://ctazm.org.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Centro de Tecnologias Alternativas da Zona da Mata (CTA-ZM) is a Brazilian non-profit founded in 1987 that promotes agroecology through participatory research, technical assistance, women's empowerment, and environmental education for family farmers, rural women, and traditional communities across the Zona da Mata region of Minas Gerais.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rural Development and Agroecology Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPADALAO

Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Climate, Environment & Sustainable Development Programs

Keywords

• Agroecology services
• Family farming extension
• Rural women empowerment
• Participatory organic certification
• Popular education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Viçosa

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Termos de Fomento (Funding Agreements): CTA-ZM operates primarily through funding agreements with government bodies including the Ministério do Desenvolvimento Agrário e Agricultura Familiar (MDA). Recent partnerships include Termo de Fomento 959490/2024 (R$ 399,973.50 for farmer training), Termo de Fomento 940711/2023 (R$ 500,000 for Polo Agroecológico strengthening), and Termo de Fomento 924559/2021 (R$ 226,880 for organic product training).
2. International Development Organizations: Funding and support from international organizations including ActionAid Brasil, Brot für die Welt (Pão para o Mundo), and Fundo Socioambiental Caixa for development projects in agroecology, women empowerment, and environmental conservation.
3. Solidarity Economy Revenue Generation: Revenue generation through solidarity economy activities including the 'vendinha' (small shop) offering agroecological products and artisanal goods, and the CTA thrift shop (brechó), supporting local economy and sustainable livelihoods.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CTA-ZM is a civil society organization that promotes agroecology through three core programs—Sociobiodiversidade, Mulheres e Agroecologia, and Educação e Agroecologia—delivered via participatory research, technical assistance, training, and political articulation with family farmers, rural women, youth, and traditional communities in the Zona da Mata region of Minas Gerais. Its distinct offerings include the Cadernetas Agroecológicas methodology and the participatory organic certification system (SPG Floriú), alongside field-based extension, short commercialization circuits, and environmental education for children and youth.

Product overview

CTA-ZM is a civil society organization that promotes Agroecology as science, practice, and movement through social assistance actions. The organization operates through three main programs: (1) Programa Sociobiodiversidade, which preserves biological and cultural diversity through agroecological practices including seed conservation and agroforestry systems; (2) Programa Mulheres e Agroecologia, which empowers rural women through political-pedagogical tools like the Cadernetas Agroecológicas (Agroecological Logbooks), an instrument that makes women's economic contributions visible; and (3) Programa Educação e Agroecologia, which works through the Projeto Curupira and Projeto Conviver to provide environmental education to children and youth. The organization also develops specialized projects including the Projeto Água Limpa for rural sanitation and the Programa de Formação Feminismo e Agroecologia (PFFA) for feminist formation. CTA-ZM articulates with the ECOA (Núcleo de Educação do Campo e Agroecologia) at UFV for joint educational initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ECOA: Núcleo de Educação do Campo e Agroecologia (ECOA) — articulation space of agroecological and field education movements of the Zona da Mata mineira, involving CTA-ZM, UFV, and partner movements.
• Programa Sociobiodiversidade
• Programa Mulheres e Agroecologia
• Programa Educação e Agroecologia
• Projeto Curupira
• Projeto Conviver
• Cadernetas Agroecológicas
• Programa de Formação Feminismo e Agroecologia (PFFA)
• Observatório das Cadernetas Agroecológicas

Products and services

• Cadernetas Agroecológicas (Agroecological Logbooks) A political-pedagogical instrument created by CTA-ZM with rural women from the Movimento de Mulheres da Zona da Mata e Leste de Minas that records and makes visible rural women's productive backyard work, artisan production, domestic service provision, and other monetary/non-monetary income, demonstrating women's economic contribution to family and community food security.
• Programa Sociobiodiversidade (Sociobiodiversity Program) Core CTA-ZM program that preserves and values biological and cultural diversity of rural communities through agroecological practices, including creole seed conservation, agroforestry systems, sustainable management of native vegetation, and spring recovery with family farmers.
• Programa Mulheres e Agroecologia (Women and Agroecology Program) Core CTA-ZM program that empowers rural women, strengthens their voices, and promotes their economic, political, and social autonomy within the agroecological movement through formation, exchanges, and political articulation, including the Cadernetas Agroecológicas methodology.
• Programa Educação e Agroecologia (Education and Agroecology Program) Core CTA-ZM program that integrates popular education with agroecology through art and environmental education, promoting critical formation of children, adolescents, educators, and community members via the Curupira and Conviver projects.
• Projeto Curupira (Curupira Project) Project under Programa Educação e Agroecologia, inspired by the Brazilian folklore character that protects forests, sensitizing and educating children and adolescents about agroecology and environmental conservation, with a focus on territories, identities, and ethnic-racial relations.
• Projeto Conviver (Conviver Project) Project under Programa Educação e Agroecologia that integrates agroecological practices, culture, and popular education, featuring the Quintal Escola living laboratory at CTA-ZM headquarters and Capoeira Angola cultural activities connecting African-Brazilian traditions with environmental education.
• Projeto Água Limpa (Clean Water Project) Social technology project that benefits rural community families with biodigester cesspools (fossa séptica biodigestora) for basic sanitation, addressing the right to sanitation and quality of life in rural areas.
• Programa de Formação Feminismo e Agroecologia - PFFA (Feminism and Agroecology Formation Program) Feminist and anti-racist formation program strengthening rural youth and women and connecting them to the peasant and agroecological movement of the Zona da Mata, conducted in three itinerant modules in Acaiaca, Simonésia, and Viçosa addressing Identity, Territories, and Autonomy.
• ECOA - Núcleo de Educação do Campo e Agroecologia (Center for Rural Education and Agroecology) Joint initiative with the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV) articulating agroecological and rural education movements in the Zona da Mata, developing teaching, research, and extension through Agroecological Exchanges, Caravans, Fairs, seed exchanges, and Troca de Saberes.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1000+ women empowered through Programa Mulheres e Agroecologia
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and moderate.

• ActionAid BrasilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational development organization supporting CTA-ZM programs focused on women's empowerment, food sovereignty, and sustainable agriculture in Brazil.
• Articulação Mineira de Agroecologia (AMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level agroecology network that CTA-ZM helped found and continues to be an active member, coordinating regional advocacy and movement building.
• Articulação Nacional de Agroecologia (ANA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational agroecology articulation network; CTA-ZM was instrumental in its formation and participates in governance and programmatic activities.
• ECOA - Núcleo de Educação do Campo e Agroecologia (UFV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity center at Federal University of Viçosa coordinating agroecology education, research, and extension activities with movements and CTA-ZM.
• GT Mulheres da ANAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking group on women within the Articulação Nacional de Agroecologia; CTA-ZM participates in leadership and programmatic development.
• Instituto SoleamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for Projeto Solea providing knowledge and access to microcredit for rural youth, implemented jointly with CTA-ZM.
• Marcha Mundial das Mulheres (MMM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational women's movement with active participation in Zona da Mata; joint programs on feminism and agroecology.
• MAELA (Movimento Agroecológico da América Latina e Caribe)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContinental movement for agroecology in Latin America and Caribbean; CTA-ZM participates in regional coordination and exchanges.
• Rede de Saberes dos Povos Quilombolas (SAPOQUI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of quilombola communities and knowledge; CTA-ZM partners for traditional community support and cultural preservation.
• Associação Brasileira de Agroecologia (ABA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrazilian association of agroecology researchers and practitioners; joint activities on knowledge production and dissemination.
• Escolas Família AgrícolamajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFamily agricultural schools providing alternative education in rural areas; joint programs on rural youth and agroecology education.
• Rede de ONGs da Mata Atlântica (RMA)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of NGOs working on Atlantic Forest conservation; environmental advocacy and joint projects.
• Organização Cooperativa de Agroecologia da Zona da Mata (OCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperativa organization promoting agroecological production and marketing in the region.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Articulação Nacional de Agroecologia (ANA): National agroecology network that CTA-ZM helped found; operates broader policy and movement building across all of Brazil. ANA is the umbrella network of which CTA-ZM is a member, providing scale and policy reach CTA-ZM itself lacks.
• ActionAid Brasil: International development organization that funds CTA-ZM and runs similar programs in women's empowerment, food sovereignty, and family agriculture across Brazil. Broader scope, larger budget, and overlapping programmatic priorities.
• WWF-Brasil: Large environmental NGO with broader biodiversity and conservation mandate; overlaps with CTA-ZM on environmental education and sustainable rural development but operates at much larger scale with corporate and international funding.
• Cáritas Brasileira: Catholic development organization currently implementing the Quintais Produtivos do Sudeste project jointly with CTA-ZM. Operates at national scale across poverty and rural development themes, with comparable mission on family agriculture and women's empowerment.
• Embrapa: Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, the dominant public agricultural R&D entity. While Embrapa has increasingly invested in agroecology, its core mandate spans all of Brazilian agriculture and competes for similar federal R&D funding pools.

Direct peers

• Rede Ecovida de Agroecologia: Network of participatory organic certification and agroecology in southern Brazil with a model similar to CTA-ZM's SPG Floriô, supporting smallholder access to organic markets through participatory guarantee systems.
• Centro Ecológico: Agroecology NGO based in Rio Grande do Sul with similar family farmer technical assistance, participatory certification, and seed conservation approach. Directly comparable in mission, methodology, and target audience.
• AS-PTA (Assessoria e Serviços em Agricultura Alternativa): Brazilian agroecology nonprofit founded in 1990 with a closely comparable mission to CTA-ZM: supporting family farmers through participatory methodologies, sustainable farming practices, and network building. Operates primarily in northeastern Brazil (Paraíba) and shares CTA-ZM's focus on participatory research and farmer-led extension.

Emerging players

• Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST): Brazilian landless workers' movement with deep overlap on agroecology commitments and rural education, though MST's primary focus is agrarian reform and land occupation. Shares training methodology and grassroots political base with CTA-ZM.

Others

• Fundação Banco do Brasil / Projeto Ecoforte: Major funder of CTA-ZM through the Ecoforte program that supports agroecology networks and SPG strengthening. Included as an ecosystem participant that directly shapes CTA-ZM's funding landscape and strategic priorities.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cta_zm
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ctacomunica
• Facebookfacebook.com/CTAZM
• Instagraminstagram.com/CTAZM
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cta-zm

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Centro de Tecnologias Alternativas da Zona da Mata (CTA-ZM)