Acai has become popular in Brazil in recent years, served in pulp form. It is an energy food, popular among people involved in physical activities. To deal with a byproduct of the industry, a group of students from the city of Igarapé-Miri (PA) has developed a cheap and sustainable way to turn the fruit's seeds into compost. They have showcased the project at the Science, Technology and Innovation for Sustainable Development Area, at Warehouse 4 at Pier Mauá.

"In Pará, acai is a consumed every day, especially as juice," says Ernane Neto, one of the students at the Manuel Antônio de Castro college who developed the technique. "The problem is that it only uses the fruit, which represents a small portion of acai, and the seeds are thrown away in the street, attracting pests and causing disease," he explains.

He and Marcio Kennedy took the seeds to school and came up with a way to turn them into fertilizer using an industrial grinder. "The problem is that industrial grinders cost over R$ 3,000, which prevents small producers having one on their land," Ernane goes on. "So, we developed a manual, sustainable crusher, made from recycled materials, which costs around R$ 20.

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Text: Gerhard Brêda – Press Office, MCTI