The fight against desertification and the promotion of sustainable management of the soy and beef cattle chains, in addition to the recovery of degraded areas, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and protection of biodiversity, are among the objectives of the Vertentes Project. The initiative is from the ministries of the Environment and Agriculture, Livestock and Supply, the Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil (CNA), the World Bank and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and was presented on the sixth day of the 27th Climate Conference of Nations (COP27), which is being held in Egypt.
“In all, there will be more than R$ 130 million (US$ 25 million) financed by the Program for the Impact of Food Systems, Land Use and Restoration (Folur). The Strands Project will reach more than 47 million hectares of Cerrado in the states of Bahia, Minas Gerais, Goiás, Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul and the Federal District”, highlighted, in a note, the Ministry of Agriculture.
The expectation is that the project will contribute to combating desertification and restoring degraded areas. According to the assistant secretary of Commerce and International Relations at the ministry, Fernando Zelner, in addition to being a chance to implement low-carbon agriculture, the project shows international partners that, when there is financial support, it is possible to multiply this in terms of private investment and results. . “For Brazil, today was a great result.”
The director of the Department of Climate of the Ministry of Agriculture, Mariana Maia, who also manages the Vertentes Project nationwide, points out that the action has a great social, economic and environmental impact. “It is quite bold in its goals, as it is concerned with the entire chain of sectors. The proposal for the sustainable development of soybeans and beef cattle affects the entire production chain”, said Mariana.
CNA’s sustainability coordinator, Nelson Filho, added that Brazil has the technology and the environmental asset, which demonstrates the country’s great potential to achieve low-carbon agriculture associated with projects that bring adaptation and mitigation together.
“We are going to integrate better technologies and actions so that the rural producer can guarantee the Brazilian product, in all its chains, a very important additionality, which, in addition to quality, is sustainability”, said Nelson Filho.
In addition to disposal by sale, such items can be destroyed or disposed of in an environmentally appropriate way, or even forwarded to collectors’ associations and cooperatives.
