Date/Time
Date(s) - 18/09/2024
08:30 - 10:00
Location
Press Club Brussels Europe
Categories
Press Breakfast Aprosoja
A global leader in soybean exports and environmental conservation.
Brazil is internationally recognized for its leadership in both sustainability and agricultural production, preserving 66% of its territory with native vegetation, 25.6% of which is conserved within rural properties. Despite this substantial preservation effort, Brazil remains the world’s largest exporter of soybeans and the second-largest exporter of corn, utilizing only 9% of its territory for agriculture, including areas of planted forests.
The state of Mato Grosso plays a pivotal role in this production. If it were a country, it would rank as the fourth-largest soybean producer globally, with soybean cultivation occupying just 13% of the state’s land area. Farmers in Mato Grosso are responsible for approximately 10% of global soybean production, while preserving 40.5% of the state’s territory within their properties.
Join us on Wednesday 18 September at 08h30 at the Press Club Brussels Europe to meet
the President of Aprosoja Mato Grosso, Lucas Costa Beber and representative of the Parliament,
to present Mato Grosso’s farmers commitment to sustainability and social responsibility.
According to the Mato Grosso Institute of Agricultural Economics (Imea), 5.9% of Mato Grosso’s territory is designated as conservation units, and 16.1% is reserved for indigenous lands. Additionally, on properties that produce soybeans, 95% of springs are preserved as part of the “Guardian of the Waters” project, led by the Mato Grosso Soybean and Corn Farmers Association (Aprosoja-MT) and the Green Action Institute.
To date, the Guardian of the Waters project has mapped over 105,000 springs across 56 municipalities in Mato Grosso. The initiative seeks to classify the springs based on their level of conservation.
“The results of this project are highly encouraging and demonstrate that farmers are capable of producing and conserving at the same time. Aprosoja-MT is also focused on raising awareness among farmers about the importance of restoration and further improving these figures. We aim to share this success with society and the world.
It is also worth noting that Aprosoja-MT is affiliated with the “Clean Field System,” a reverse logistics program for the disposal of empty pesticide containers, and the “Legal Soy” compliance program, which is recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply (MAPA) and accredited by the Brazilian Association of Technical Standards (ABNT). The “Legal Soy” program evaluates over 100 environmental and regulatory aspects, assisting farmers in proactively addressing issues and ensuring socio-environmental compliance.
At present, the “Legal Soy” program covers 1,200 properties, encompassing a total area of 4.2 million hectares. The goal is to expand the program to 4,500 participants and include initiatives for Payment for Environmental Services (PES), Carbon projects, and tailored credit conditions.
**Innovation and Regenerative Agriculture**
Mato Grosso is at the forefront of agricultural innovation, promoting regenerative practices such as no-till farming, the use of bioinputs, crop rotation, and agroforestry integration. The tropical climate allows for multiple harvests each year, benefiting crops like soybeans and corn. Studies show that soybean farming can be carbon negative, with a net reduction of 1.6 metric tons of carbon equivalent per hectare per year.
**Future Prospects and Social Responsibility**
Mato Grosso holds significant potential to increase production without deforestation, with 15.62 million hectares of pasture available for conversion to agriculture. Aprosoja-MT is actively investing in research through its experimental fields, ‘CTECNOs’ Parecis and Araguaia, which focus on sustainable practices for sandy and silty soils and the recovery of degraded areas.
Moreover, Aprosoja-MT’s “Agrosolidarity” program promotes social responsibility through four initiatives: “Soy is Life” (donating soy-based beverages to social institutions), “Soy is Sport” and “Soy is Health” (providing financial support and soy beverages), and “Social Soy” (providing food baskets and sponsorships).
Registration: secretary@pressclub.be