SAO PAULO: Brazilian farm behemoth Amaggi, which trades almost 19 million tonnes of grains and fibers globally, is launching a new phase of its regenerative agriculture programme as part of its commitment to help slow climate change.
Regenerative agriculture generally involves protecting and restoring soil health, which in turn helps capture more carbon from the atmosphere to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
For decades, Amaggi has applied regenerative techniques on its own farms, environmental, social and governance director Juliana Lopes said in an interview.
Now the programme will expand, spreading the practices to other suppliers as Amaggi looks to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, she continued.
Amaggi sources 39% of its soybeans from the Amazon rainforest and 41% from the Cerrado savannah, two endangered biomes in Brazil, a farming powerhouse.
Experts said switching from conventional to regenerative agriculture demands investments in machinery, precision tools and expert advice.
For Amaggi, the challenge will be to persuade its 6,000-strong supplier network to take part, with training and financial incentives.
“We will create a structure in the coming 12 to 24 months to replicate the model,” Lopes said.
“It would not be enough to do it in our farms only,” she added, referring to Amaggi’s regenerative practices on 369,000 hectares (911,818 acres) of its own grain areas. — Reuters
