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International leaders discuss proposals for global food security and sustainability at FIAP in Cuiabá (MT)

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3 months ago

September 10, 2024

The event brought together representatives from the European Union, United States, Japan, Chile, and Mercosur

SÃO PAULO, Sept. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — One of the most anticipated moments of FIAP 2024 (International Agricultural Forum), held this Monday (09/09) in Cuiabá (MT), was the international panel that brought together leaders from the European Union, United States, Japan, Chile, and Mercosur to discuss food security and climate challenges.

The panel was opened by the European Union’s Counselor in Brazil, Laurent Javaudin, who spoke about the European Green Deal, which introduces a series of social and commercial measures aimed at achieving climate neutrality and combating hunger. In a conciliatory tone, Laurent explained that the Green Deal is a legislation initially implemented for European producers and will later be required of countries exporting to the European Union. “We are also investing in biodiversity preservation, animal welfare, and sustainable production,” said Laurent. The counselor also praised Brazil’s advancements over the past 50 years: “Thank you very much, Brazil. Without you, this discussion on food security would be much more difficult,” he said.

However, the European leader called on Brazil to join the European Union as a strategic partner to ensure the success of the Green Deal legislation. “No one wants to interfere with the Forest Code; what happens in Brazil will be decided by Brazilians. But we cannot talk about unilateral measures when dealing with global issues,” he emphasized, noting that this regulation was created for countries that do not have a Forest Code or environmental registry.

The message of cooperation was echoed by the Agricultural Attaché of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Frederick Giles, who highlighted the partnership between the University of Florida and Embrapa in bio-input research to promote more sustainable production methods worldwide. “We want to join forces with Brazil to strengthen the planet and overcome these challenges,” said the American executive.

Entitled “New Rules and Models to Ensure Global Food Security,” the panel also featured participation from Gabriel Delgado, representative of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and coordinator of the Mercosur Agricultural Council. Delgado presented statistics on hunger and malnutrition worldwide and advocated for genetic engineering to achieve production leaps; Ricardo Moyano, Chile’s Agricultural Attaché, who emphasized the inclusion of diverse actors such as indigenous peoples and women in the food security pact; Ritsuko Yoneda, Director of Multilateral Affairs at Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, who expressed concern about food security, given that Japan imports two-thirds of the food it consumes; and Laudemir Muller, Agribusiness Manager at Apex, who stated that Brazil is the only country capable of simultaneously contributing to the four major global challenges: food production, clean energy, carbon capture, and climate change mitigation.

Minister of Agriculture receives report from the B20 Task Force

The agri-food system employs 35% of the global workforce, feeds eight billion people worldwide, and has grown by 150% over the past 50 years. These figures are part of the Sustainable Food Systems and Agriculture Task Force report, presented on Monday (9th) to the Minister of Agriculture, Carlos Fávaro, during FIAP.

The findings, which involved 139 people from 22 countries and 14 different sectors, were presented by the B20 Task Force Chair and Global CEO of JBS, Gilberto Tomazoni. Among the key points, Tomazoni stressed the importance of increasing productivity with sustainability to reduce hunger, while also highlighting the necessary changes to agri-food systems. “In terms of productivity, we will need to adopt better technologies, such as biotechnology, regenerative agriculture, and digital technology,” he stated.

He also emphasized that these transformations face economic, technical assistance, and social challenges, particularly in convincing stakeholders of the need for change. Tomazoni further underscored that financial systems must understand the challenge, especially the transformation process, which will require differentiated rates and insurance to mitigate losses during the transition. “That’s why environmental service payments are so important; they would help make this financing more accessible and feasible,” he noted.

Roberto Perosa, Secretary of Trade and International Relations at the Ministry of Agriculture, who also participated in the debate, cited the financing model of Renovabio as an example, describing it as a major example of sustainable financing initiatives. “Brazil has been setting an example and offering incentives for making this strategic shift,” he said.

Upon receiving the document, Minister Carlos Fávaro expressed his concerns about the fires occurring throughout Brazil, hoping that this situation would raise awareness among the authorities visiting the state of Mato Grosso for the G20 meeting between September 10 and 14, and that this would result in a global commitment to reverse climate change. “Rest assured that Brazil is leading the way in food production and sustainable production processes. Let the conclusions of this meeting become a milestone for the next 50 years,” the minister concluded.