Impact projects

Mbaracayù Forest School x Nissaba

How Nissaba empowers indigenous young women in Paraguay through sustainable agroforestry and crop diversification.

Sébastien Tissot, Nissaba Founder

"The Mbaracayú school is a gem. This institution is empowering young indigenous women at the heart of Paraguay’s last native forest, while connecting traditional crops like maté and petitgrain to a sustainable future."

The Mbaracayù project: A legacy of empowerment

GENESIS AND CONTINUITY

In 2017, during a sourcing trip for petitgrain and guaiac wood, Nissaba’s founder Sébastien Tissot discovered the Mbaracayú Educational Center, managed by the Fundacion Moises Bertoni. Nestled in the only remaining native forest of Eastern Paraguay, this residential school offers a unique baccalaureate in Environmental Sciences, dedicated to empowering indigenous young women with knowledge in agroecology.

Surrounded by farming communities cultivating yerba maté and petitgrain, two iconic ingredients in perfumery and key notes of Nissaba’s Chaco fragrance, the school stands as a beacon of resilience. Through education and field training, it bridges biodiversity conservation with sustainable rural development.

Key project design elements

The Mbaracayú project aims to strengthen sustainable cultivation of petitgrain and yerba maté through regenerative and integrated farming practices. By combining agroforestry, food crops, and cash crops, the initiative enhances soil health, food security, and economic resilience.

A model farm has been established to showcase advanced practices such as:

Association of yerba maté, petitgrain, vegetables, and agroforestry
Apiculture and water harvesting
Soil health monitoring
improved distillation techniques for essential oils

This demonstration farm is complemented by champion farmers and school students who are encouraged to replicate and spread these practices across their own communities.

The Mbaracayú Project

Project design and phases

A model farm was established, integrating petitgrain, maté, vegetables, and agroforestry practices. From this foundation, champion farmers were trained to apply sustainable techniques and replicate the successful solutions demonstrated on the model farm. To foster long-term impact, school students participate in hands-on training at the farm, gaining practical knowledge of sustainable agriculture. In parallel, nurseries and plantations for petitgrain and maté have been set up to support the project’s growth and continuity.

TRANSFORMING LIVES, LANDSCAPES, AND THE FUTURE

By linking education, sustainability, and local resources, the Mbaracayú project is revisiting the role of indigenous women in agriculture. Students graduate not only with a degree but with practical skills and the confidence to shape the future of their land, their families, and their communities.