Porto Alegre, 12/22/2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Minister of Agrarian Development, Miguel Rossetto, has launched the government's new program to provide financial incentives for youths to remain on the farm (Programa Nossa Primeira Terra). According to Rossetto, the program budget of R$520 million over the next three years will provide low-interest loans to some 32,000 youths.

"This is a simple program focused on education and the development of local associations in rural areas. A grave problem Brazil faces is the aging of its rural population. We have to get young people to stay on the farm. We are very pleased that there is a huge demand for this program and pleased to be able to offer it," declared the minister. (AB)