At the beginning of 2020, one of the focus of the State Government is to consolidate the Bioenergetic and Sugar-Alcohol Pole, which is being implemented in the Middle São Francisco, as a structuring action that will economically and socially enhance the region.

The new “Eldorado” of the Bahian sugar-energy sector was discussed on the morning of Thursday (9), between the deputy governor secretary of Economic Development (SDE), João Leão, and state secretaries. At the time, an interdisciplinary technical working group was created.

“Governor Rui Costa has ordered us to create a commission among the Secretaries of State to leverage the sugar and alcohol hub, which will not only produce sugarcane, but also solar, wind and biomass energy. The project aims to deploy 10 plants, generating more than 30,000 jobs, direct and indirect, and enabling peripheral enterprises, such as hotels, supermarkets, cinemas, gas stations, among others, ”says Leão, holder of SDE.

According to the Secretary of the Civil House, Bruno Dauster, it is necessary to transform the project into a structuring policy, as was done with the logistics in the Salvador Metropolitan Region: “As a Civil House, we already have the responsibility defined within the group. job. I want to present, in the coming weeks, the methodology to be worked out for the governor, the deputy and the secretaries of the portfolios involved in the project ”.

The Secretary of Planning, Walter Pinheiro, explains that the project dialogues directly with the state economy, with the development axis of a region. "The state is the main lever and stimulator of the economy, so it is important that we link this strategic project with the introduction of the points already contained in PPA 2019, 2020 and 2023," he says.

Internalization of development 

From a structuring point of view, Marcus Cavalcanti points out that a project of this size creates a need for the state to provide the infrastructure. “We need to make local access, pay attention to the telecommunications area, since every business needs broadband access to develop its activities, as well as reinforcing the electricity grid, noting that these businesses can also be power generators and become suppliers. of the national electric system ”, says the Secretary of Infrastructure.

The Secretary of Rural Development, Josias Gomes, recalls that, besides making Bahia self-sufficient in the bioenergetic area, the project will socially benefit the region. “There are many Agrarian Reform settlements that have not yet found their way to viable economic production and here may be the beginning of a process that will surely include more than 20 settlements - that is, more than 400 families of family farmers with its defined economy, ”he projects.

“After we have been able to break down the barrier that existed with sugarcane in relation to zoning - not agroecological but economic -, today it is already possible to promote this culture throughout Bahia, respecting all environmental norms. The project motivates the producer, as it can now be promoted at a lower cost ”, says the Secretary of Agriculture, Lucas Costa.

João Carlos Oliveira, Secretary of the Environment, explains that the project adds to the context of sustainable development, a state premise. "This hub will generate economic, social and sustainable development, with diversity of jobs, leveraging the growth of Bahia," he concludes.

The Pole 

The projection is that the Middle San Francisco Bioenergetic and Sugar-Alcohol Pole could generate 9.2 thousand direct and 30 thousand indirect jobs in the region in the coming years. This is because the first sugarcane plant, out of a total of 10 expected to produce ethanol, sugar and biomass energy, is being implemented in Muquém do São Francisco, by the Paranhos Group.

The protocol of intent signed with SDE provides for investments of R $ 107 million, with the possibility of generating 921 direct jobs and up to 3,000 indirect jobs.