In the Amazon, women lead efforts to grow acai berry production

Edna dos Anjos Nascimento, known as Bezinha, and her husband Jose Renato, cut acai berry from a palm tree during harvest and production of acai, organized exclusively by women on Jussara Island, Para state, Brazil, December 29, 2024. REUTERS/Anderson Coelho

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - In the tiny community of Ilha da Jussara, at the northern tip of the Brazilian Amazon, growing acai berries - a superfood known for its nutritional benefits - is a major source of income.

Production has grown around 50% in the last decade, driven by a dozen or so women in the village who fought to secure sources of credit.