Global warming is certainly one of the greatest challenges humanity has ever faced. According to UN projections, there will be almost 10 billion people in 2050, that is, 2 billion more than today. To continue providing this growing population with essential items for life, especially food, we must transform our production system and migrate to a low-carbon economy. We need to promote a Green Revolution. Only then will it be possible to limit the average increase in global temperature to 2°C, with efforts to limit it to 1.5°C, when compared to pre-industrial levels.
Agriculture, a crucial activity for the production of food and other vital products such as clothing and energy, is seen by many as part of the problem. However, science has shown that farming can be a powerful tool to help sequester carbon from the atmosphere and thus allow us to feed the world in an increasingly sustainable way.
A wide range of techniques can help restore soil, storing carbon that would otherwise go into the atmosphere. The Integrated Crop-Livestock-Forestry (ILPF) model, for example, brings together different production systems on the same property – grains, fibers, meat, milk and agroenergy, in addition to maintaining the forest. Crop diversification helps restore degraded soils and minimizes risks for producers, who will have more and more opportunities to expand their production while reducing their environmental impact. Well-managed pastures also have great potential to function as carbon sequestration areas. It is the adoption of measures like these that can make a difference in curbing climate change and also allow us to promote socioeconomic development.
JBS, the world’s second largest food company and a global leader in the protein sector, understands its responsibility in this transition to a low-carbon economy, precisely because it is at the intersection between farmers and consumers. In March of this year, we committed to being Net Zero by 2040, meaning we will eliminate our net greenhouse gas emissions, including direct emissions and those from our entire value chain. Part of our plan is to expand the scale of regenerative agriculture solutions and invest in research and development to develop technologies for problems that have not yet been solved. In this way, we will do our part to make the Green Revolution a reality.
The world does not yet have all the answers it needs to address climate change. But there is already certainty that agriculture can and must be part of the solution. It is up to all of us to focus our efforts on achieving this sustainable transformation.
By Gilberto Tomazoni
JBS Global CEO
