Associação Kapi'wara

What Associação Kapi'wara does

Associação Kapi'wara is a Brazilian non-profit civil association (associação civil) headquartered in the Várzea neighborhood of Recife, Pernambuco. Founded in 2014 by graduates of SERTA's technical agroecology program (originally as Coletivo Uça) and renamed in 2016, the organization operates across 5 cities — Recife, Paulista, Petrolina, Vale do Catimbau/Buíque (PE), and Murici (AL) — delivering urban agroecology, popular education, environmental communication, and community waste-management services to low-income and Black peripheral communities, quilombola groups, and public schools. Its core intellectual asset is the proprietary Jeito Kapi'wara methodology — a participatory social technology certified by Fundação Banco do Brasil, grounded in Freirean popular education, PEADS, and SERTA practices, and systematized during an acceleration program with Instituto Ekloos.

The organization's product portfolio includes the Kapi'Lab learning space (subscription workshops on natural cosmetology and small-space food production priced R$0–R$540/month with solidarity seats), the Kapi'Loja marketplace (under construction), the Sistema Agroecológico Escolar (SAE) program in 5 western Recife public schools, the "Saberes da Agrofloresta" 6-episode web series, the "Na Mata tem Ciência" podcast, and community projects such as Rekaatinga Catimbau (Caatinga regeneration with traditional communities, funded by GEF/PNUD via Fundo Ecos) and Mulheres Plantando o Futuro (women-led urban agriculture training with Instituto Shopping Recife). Operational delivery combines direct community engagement (mutirões, participatory diagnosis), institutional partnerships with municipal/federal agencies (SEAU, Secretaria de Educação do Recife, MDA), and university collaborations (UFRN, UFRPE/NAC, UNIVASF).

Revenue is generated primarily through project-based grants and institutional contracts with at least 10 distinct funders (Adveniat, MDA, GEF/PNUD, Fundo Ecos, CESE, Instituto Shopping Recife, Shopping Center Recife, SAVE BRASIL, Fundo Socioambiental CASA, Parsifal 21/Trê Investindo Com Causa), supplemented by emerging earned income from Kapi'Lab subscriptions, PIX donations, and forthcoming Kapi'Loja retail sales. The organization is led by a 20-person collective including co-founder Nemo Côrtes (PhD candidate in Agroecology and Territorial Development at UFRPE) and serves as a recognized social technology and model for community-led agroecology transitions in the Brazilian Northeast.

Name

Associação Kapi'wara

Legal name

Associação Kapi'wara

Website

https://kapiwara.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Associação Kapi'wara is a Recife-based Brazilian non-profit association that delivers urban agroecology, popular education, community composting, and school-based environmental programs to peripheral and traditional communities across Pernambuco and Alagoas via its proprietary Jeito Kapi'wara methodology.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Urban Agroecology and Community Education Services

NAICS

Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (81399), Business Associations (813910), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ecosystem Services & Natural Capital Programs (Water, Biodiversity Credits, PES) (IMAMAJAK), Stakeholder Engagement, Indigenous/Tribal Consultation & Social Impact (SIA) (EUAHAAAH), Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) Program Development & Administration (AFAMAMAF)

Keywords

• Urban agroecology
• Community composting
• Popular education
• Social technology
• Environmental education

Headquarters

HQ city

Recife

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Public Project Grants and Institutional Funding: Primary revenue stream: receives project-based grants and funding from government ministries (MDA, Fundo GEF/PNUD), foundations (Adveniat, Fundo Ecos, CESE), NGOs (Instituto Shopping Recife), and institutional contractors (Shopping Center Recife). Projects fund specific territorial programs in agroecology, education, and communication.
2. Educational Workshops and Courses (Kapi' Lab): Offers paid courses and workshops through Kapi' Lab (cosmetology natural, food production in small spaces) with tiered pricing from free to R$540/month. Revenue supports the lab's operations and subsidizes free spots for vulnerable populations.
3. PIX Donations and Individual Contributions: Accepts financial support via PIX (CNPJ 46.770.733/0001-06) from individuals at any time, in addition to specific campaign fundraising.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Associação Kapi'wara is a non-profit civil association that delivers urban agroecology programs, popular education, and community-based environmental communication across peripheral communities in Pernambuco and Alagoas, Brazil. Core offerings include school-based agroecology systems (Sistema Agroecológico Escolar), community gardens and composting, paid workshops through Kapi'Lab, podcast and web series content, and contracted projects such as Rekaatinga Catimbau and Mulheres Plantando o Futuro. The organization is recognized as a social technology by Fundação Banco do Brasil for its proprietary Jeito Kapi'wara methodology.

Product overview

Associação Kapi'wara offers a portfolio of educational programs, community projects, and communication products centered on agroecology, environmental education, and popular knowledge. Core offerings include Kapi'Lab (experimental learning space), Kapi'Loja (marketplace), the Sistema Agroecológico Escolar (school-based agroecology program), the Saberes da Agrofloresta video series, the Na Mata tem Ciência podcast, and various community projects like Rekaatinga Catimbau and Mulheres Plantando o Futuro. The organization operates as a non-profit association focused on urban agroecology, popular education, and community strengthening, primarily serving peripheral communities in Pernambuco, Brazil.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kapi'Lab: Laboratório de saberes populares, tecnologias sociais e práticas regenerativas. Espaço de criação, experimentação e aprendizado coletivo que articula cosmetologia natural e produção de alimentos em pequenos espaços.
• Kapi'Loja
• Na Mata tem Ciência

Products and services

• Kapi'Lab A laboratory space for experimentation and collective learning where social technologies, pedagogical methodologies, and agroecological practices are tested and co-created. Offers paid workshops and courses (Cosmetologia Natural, Produção de Alimentos em Pequenos Espaços) with tiered solidarity pricing from R$50 to R$540/month, with free spots for vulnerable populations.
• Kapi'Loja Online store offering products from agroecological practices, popular knowledge, and collective actions that strengthen territories and networks. Currently under construction as of 2025.
• Sistema Agroecológico Escolar (SAE) A school-based agroecology program that transforms school spaces into living territories of learning, care, and belonging. Includes participatory diagnostics, teacher training, organic waste measurement (gravimetria), and implementation of composting systems, school gardens, and living pharmacies. Currently operating in 5 public schools in western Recife with 250 direct beneficiaries, funded by Adveniat.
• Mulheres Plantando o Futuro A training program that brings together women from peripheral communities to practice agroecology, bioconstruction, and urban agriculture. Implemented in partnership with Instituto Shopping Recife and Coletivo Chié do Entra, with ongoing technical assistance for monitoring impacts and strengthening organizational capacity.
• Curso Estadual de Agricultura Urbana State-level course on urban agriculture supported by MDA (Ministério do Desenvolvimento Agrário) and coordinated nationally by UFRN, with local execution by NAC-UFRPE in partnership with Kapi'wara. Serves 100 direct beneficiaries (50 leaderships from 30 territories) in Pernambuco.
• Rekaatinga Catimbau A project focused on regenerating the Caatinga biome through integrated practices of agroecology, beekeeping, and cultural strengthening. Conducted in partnership with Ecossítio Catimbau and supported by the 37th Fundo Ecos call, financed by GEF and implemented by UNDP.
• Saberes da Agrofloresta (Web Series) Educational webseries with 6 episodes about agroforestry principles and practices, presented by Mayara, featuring guest experts like Professor Roberto Mendes and participants from various communities. Available on Kapi'wara's YouTube channel.
• Na Mata tem Ciência (Podcast) Podcast produced by Kapi'wara in partnership with the Municipal Environmental Secretariat of Paulista/PE, featuring episodes about agroecology, technology, and artificial intelligence. Available on Spotify and other platforms.

Quantifiable outcome

• 250 direct beneficiaries (students, teachers, staff) across 5 public schools through Sistema Agroecológico Escolar, with composting systems implemented in schoolyards
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ecossítio CatimbaucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-implementer of the Rekaatinga Catimbau project focused on Caatinga regeneration through integrated agroecology, apiculture, and cultural strengthening. Located in the Vale do Catimbau area. Fausto Paiva is founder of Ecossítio and coordinator of the project alongside Kapi'wara.
• UFRN - Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do NortecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational coordinator of the MDA-funded 'Agricultura Urbana, apoiada na Agroecologia e Economia Solidária' project. Kapi'wara executes locally in Pernambuco with support from UFRPE and other partners.
• UFRPE - Universidade Rural Federal de Pernambuco / NAC - Núcleo de Apoio ao CampesinatocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal coordinator of the MDA urban agriculture course in Pernambuco, partnering with Kapi'wara for local execution. NAC-UFRPE connects the university with peasant and urban agriculture networks.
• Secretaria Executiva de Agricultura Urbana (SEAU) do RecifecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Sistema Agroecológico Escolar (SAE) project alongside the Educação Secretariat. SEAU collaborates on public policy articulation and implementation of urban agroecology in Recife schools.
• Secretaria de Educação do RecifecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Sistema Agroecológico Escolar, providing access to 5 public schools in western Recife. Collaborates with Kapi'wara and SEAU to implement agroecological practices in school environments.
• Instituto EklooscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted an acceleration program during which Kapi'wara systematized and named its methodology as 'Jeito Kapi'wara.' This process helped the organization recognize its own approach as an innovative, contextualized methodology with its own identity.
• Prefeitura Municipal de PaulistaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in 'Agroecologia na Mata do Ronca' project delivering agroecological workshops to rural farmers. Also co-producer of podcast 'Na Mata tem Ciência' with Kapi'wara and Paulista's environmental secretariat.
• SERTA - Serviço de Tecnologia AlternativacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey methodological reference rooted in Kapi'wara's origins. The PEADS (Pedagogia de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Sustentável) methodology developed by Abdalaziz de Moura at SERTA strongly influences the Jeito Kapi'wara approach. SERTA is also featured as a guest educator in the 'Saberes da Agrofloresta' web series.
• Coletivo Chié do EntracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity collective in Entra Apulso territory; co-implementer of the 'Mulheres Plantando o Futuro' course and ongoing urban agriculture work. Kapi'wara has provided technical assistance for monitoring impacts and strengthening the collective's organizational capacity.
• Casa da Mulher do Nordeste / Coletivo Manga RosaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institutions in the execution of the MDA-funded urban agriculture course in Pernambuco, contributing to the multi-institutional local network alongside UFRPE and Kapi'wara.
• UNIVASF - Universidade Federal do Vale do São FranciscominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution for the Cozinha das Tradições Tia Liquinha during the 13º Congresso Brasileiro de Agroecologia in Juazeiro (BA), where Kapi'wara coordinated collective cooking and food culture activities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• FASE (Federação de Órgãos para Assistência Social e Educacional): National Brazilian NGO working on socio-environmental justice, food sovereignty, and popular education. Comparable in its popular education (Freirean) methodology and grassroots community organizing orientation, though operating at a regional/multi-state scale.
• Instituto Socioambiental (ISA): Major Brazilian socio-environmental NGO working on biodiversity, indigenous peoples, and policy. Comparable in using participatory methodologies and working with traditional communities (e.g., quilombolas), but at a much larger national scale and broader policy scope.
• Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST): Brazil's largest rural social movement, with deep involvement in agroecology, settlement-based production, and food sovereignty. Comparable in agroecological practice and community organizing, but operates at vastly larger scale and as a movement rather than a civil association.

Direct peers

• AS-PTA (Assessoria e Serviços a Projetos em Agricultura Alternativa): One of Brazil's longest-running agroecology NGOs, focused on family farming, sustainable rural development, and policy advocacy. Directly comparable to Kapi'wara in serving Brazilian agroecology and food sovereignty through participatory methodologies, though operating at a larger national scale.
• Centro Sabiá: Pernambuco-based agroecology and family agriculture organization active in the Agreste region. Comparable to Kapi'wara in combining agroecological practice, popular education, and policy advocacy for family farmers and rural communities in the same state.
• SERTA (Serviço de Tecnologia Alternativa): Pernambuco-based NGO that originated the PEADS methodology that forms the intellectual foundation of Kapi'wara's Jeito Kapi'wara. Operates technical agroecology training, rural education, and community development programs in the same northeast region, with many former SERTA students now on Kapi'wara's team.
• Centro Ecológico: Rio Grande do Sul-based NGO focused on organic and agroecological production, certification, and seed networks. Comparable in working with family farmers on agroecological transition, though with a stronger focus on southern Brazil and certification systems.
• Centro de Tecnologias Alternativas da Zona da Mata (CTA-ZM): Minas Gerais-based NGO that develops and disseminates alternative agroecological technologies with family farmers. Shares Kapi'wara's methodology-first approach to agroecology, participatory technical assistance, and integration with public policy (ATER) in Brazil.

Regional players

• Associação de Agricultura Orgânica (AAO): São Paulo-based organization promoting organic and agroecological agriculture. Comparable in advocacy and educational work on sustainable agriculture, but primarily serves the southeast Brazilian organic agriculture market rather than the northeast peripheral communities Kapi'wara targets.

Others

• Articulação Nacional de Agroecologia (ANA): Brazilian national network that convenes organizations, movements, and academics around agroecology policy. Kapi'wara actively participates in CBA and ENAU events organized by this network, making it a key ecosystem convener rather than a direct implementer — useful as a peer for understanding the broader institutional context.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@akapiwara
• Facebookfacebook.com/kapiwaraagroecologia
• Instagraminstagram.com/kapiwara
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/associacao-kapiwara

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Associação Kapi'wara