New Edition of Globally Renowned Partnership Will Create Jobs in Brazilian Mining Communities

Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil —  The three-year program CRESCER 2.0, a partnership between Anglo American, the Inter-American Development Bank, and TechnoServe, was launched today. Working in communities surrounding Anglo American’s operations in Minas Gerais, Brazil, the renewed partnership aims to strengthen value chains in the dairy and tourism industries, build the capacity of young people to start businesses or find jobs, and engage local institutions to support sustainable economic growth. By the end of its three-year term, it is expected to benefit 4,170 participants and support 1,450 jobs.

Mining operations represent major investments and generate significant economic activity, accounting for nearly a quarter of Brazil’s exports, but they face limits to their ability to create direct employment and supply-chain opportunities in local communities, which are often socioeconomically vulnerable. Like others around the world, these communities have also suffered from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced local businesses to halt or alter their operations.

CRESCER 2.0 seeks to help communities of Conceição do Mato Dentro, Serro, Dom Joaquim, Alvorada de Minas, and Congonhas do Norte develop diversified and sustainable local economies. Long-term systemic change and sustainability are key to the program activities, which include:

• Development of strategic local value chains: The program will help businesses and producers in the tourism, dairy, and cheese sectors access the training, capital, and market connections they need to identify and pursue growth opportunities.
• Building capacity of youth: The partnership will provide training on soft skills and facilitate technical skills training for 4,000 young people, directly and through local schools, enabling them to find jobs or start businesses.
• Strengthening local business ecosystem: The program will engage with local and regional governments, providing them with data and information that enable policymakers to support the growth of local businesses.

CRESCER 2.0 is projected to reach 4,170 participants (4,000 youth and 170 smallholder farmers and small-business owners), support 1,450 jobs, and improve services for 25 institutions. Participants are expected to see an average income increase of 30%. Women are expected to comprise more than half of the participants.

CRESCER 2.0 builds upon the successful first phase of the program, which ran from 2016 to 2020 as part of the regional Beyond Extraction partnership. The first phase of CRESCER supported 620 jobs, provided training to 321 young people, and improved participants’ average income by more than 20%. The partnership played a large role in the development of Minas Gerais’ artisanal cheese sector, and two program graduates won silver and bronze medals at  the Tours World Cheese Championship. Likewise, CRESCER was selected as one three finalists from among 418 tourism projects submitted under the Business Environment Improvement and Investment Attraction category at the 2019 National Tourism Award, organized by the Ministry of Tourism.

In recognition of its impact in Brazil, Peru, and Chile, Beyond Extraction was named one of five finalists for the 2021 P3 Impact Award, given to the most impactful public-private partnerships around the world.

“We are excited to work with our partners to scale up the impact of the successful CRESCER program,” said TechnoServe’s country director in Brazil, Vladimir Olarte. “This partnership shows that cooperation across stakeholders can help local communities develop sustainable, flourishing economies.” 

About Anglo American

Anglo American is a leading global mining company and our products are the essential ingredients in almost every aspect of modern life. Our portfolio of world-class competitive operations, with a broad range of future development options, provides many of the future-enabling metals and minerals for a cleaner, greener, more sustainable world and that meet the fast growing every day demands of billions of consumers. With our people at the heart of our business, we use innovative practices and the latest technologies to discover new resources and to mine, process, move and market our products to our customers – safely and sustainably.

As a responsible producer of diamonds (through De Beers), copper, platinum group metals, premium quality iron ore and metallurgical coal for steelmaking, and nickel – with crop nutrients in development – we are committed to being carbon neutral across our operations by 2040. More broadly, our Sustainable Mining Plan commits us to a series of stretching goals to ensure we work towards a healthy environment, creating thriving communities and building trust as a corporate leader. We work together with our business partners and diverse stakeholders to unlock enduring value from precious natural resources for the benefit of the communities and countries in which we operate, for society as a whole, and for our shareholders. Anglo American is re-imagining mining to improve people’s lives.

About the IDB

The Inter-American Development Bank works to improve lives in Latin America and the Caribbean. Through financial and technical support for countries working to reduce poverty and inequality, we help improve health and education, and advance infrastructure. Today we are the leading source of development financing for Latin America and the Caribbean. We provide loans, grants, and technical assistance; and we conduct extensive research. We maintain a strong commitment to achieving measurable results and the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability. The IDB prioritizes social inclusion and equality; productivity and innovation; and regional economic integration in its development work. In doing so, it addresses the cross-cutting issues of gender equality and diversity; climate change and environmental sustainability; and institutional capacity and the rule of law.
Twitter: @the_IDB | Instagram: @El_BID | LinkedIn: Inter-American Development Bank

About TechnoServe

TechnoServe is a leader in harnessing the power of the private sector to help people lift themselves out of poverty. A non-profit organization operating in 30 countries, we work with hard-working men and women in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries. By linking people to information, capital, and markets, we have helped millions to create lasting prosperity for their families and communities.

Founded over 50 years ago, TechnoServe has been named the #1 nonprofit for fighting poverty by an independent charity ratings agency.

More information at: Facebook: @TechnoServe | Twitter: @TechnoServe | LinkedIn: @TechnoServe | Contact TechnoServe: media@technoserve.org.