b'Adding insult to injury is the fact that the environment is also suffering. More than two thirds of the most precious resource of South American farmerstheir soilsis eroded to some degree, he added.And then theres climate change. While the contribution of Latin America and the Caribbean to causing climate change hasCooperation is key, but its not always easy. been very small, today, Latin America and the Caribbean emitsIt requires a large portion of commitment and about 10% of global greenhouse gases.Many parts of this region are very vulnerable to climatealso a large portion of compromise. It requires changes. If the current trends are not brought under control, by 2070, all of the continental mass of Latin America and thean understanding that the common good most Caribbean will be under a temperature regime that is twoof the time takes precedence over individual degrees higher than today. That is a horror story for agriculture and for people living in rural areas, Berdegu said. interest, no matter how difficult it is.Mauricio RodriguesWorking for the Common GoodFor a region that is very important for contra-season seed production for countries like Canada and the United States, Berdegus warning was a stark one. Because the transforma-tion to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems will require an immense effort of innovation unlike anything farmers have seen in the 10,000 years since crops and animals were domesticated, a concerted effort is needed tocontinue the regions agricultural revolutioninnovation, sus-reverse current trends. tainability and digital transformation.This transformation will not be a big bang happening over- We invest a lot of money globallyroughly around couple night, Berdegu said. Nor will it be a single, unified or centrallybillion euros on an annual basisin trying to offer products both planned process. It will require everyone working in sync toin terms of seeds and traits and crop protection. We have a lot of create systems that work together to mutually benefit oneinvestments coming to the region, he said.another. Those investments include digital ag platforms and a new It will be the sum of many actions and decisions by peoplepartnership with Embrapa focused on fixing carbon in the soil, like you and me, with many local and national routes and differ- which has been launched as a pilot project with a couple of thou-ent trajectories linked in all types of interactions. sand growers.Fortunately, innovators like Celso Luiz Moretti, president ofSuch investments are making Latin America a key player in Embrapa are helping move the region into the future. Brazil isthe production of food for the world.moving from being a food insecure country to a net importer ofThe conditions in our region allow for more than one produc-food, fiber, and bio energy, he noted. tion cycle. At the same time, every single year we lose 30% of If you can imagine back to the 1970s, we imported beef fromthe product we produce mainly because of poor infrastructure Europe, we imported milk from the U.S., we imported beansor suboptimal value chains. We have to produce more, while pre-from Mexico. We do so much more right here at home now. Theserving the means for doing it. To get that better yield we need importance of investments in science, technology and innovationan agricultural system production system that balances three through public universities and the private sector are transform- requirements, Rodrigues went on to say.ing Brazil to become one of the agricultural powerhouses in theThe first is improved food security and food safety. The world, he said. second is ensuring minimal impact on the environment and the Three pillars are responsible for this transformation, he said.climate in what we do. The third is providing the basic conditions The first pillar was the transformation of poor acidic soils intofor proper livelihood and health for all the actors in the value fertile land. The second pillar was adapting plants and animals tochain. These are the three well known elements of sustainable tropical conditions. agriculture.We brought soybean from China, we introduced soybeanA good social safety net is vital for the future of agriculture, in southeastern Brazil, and then through breeding, genetiche emphasized.improvement and adaptation now we are growing soybeanIts a global challenge that nobody can address alone. We above the equator, he said.have to tackle it together. Cooperation is key, but its not always The third pillar was the development of a sustainable platformeasy. It requires a large portion of commitment and also a large of agricultural practices in Brazil like no-till. portion of compromise. It requires an understanding that the Bayer Crop Sciences Latin America president Mauriciocommon good most of the time takes precedence over individ-Rodrigues offered three pillars of his own that will be needed toual interest, no matter how difficult it is.SW84/ SEEDWORLD.COMINTERNATIONAL EDITION 2023'