RTRS Task Force Brazil meets for the first time this year and presents new financial benefits for certified producers
Representatives of key organisations in Brazil’s soy value chain met in São Paulo to discuss RTRS actions at the local level.
On April 18, the Round Table on Responsible Soy (RTRS) held a meeting of the RTRS Brazil Task Force at Rabobank headquarters in São Paulo. The meeting was attended by more than 50 representatives from 40 organisations in the agricultural and financial sectors.
The meeting was an opportunity to review updated information on RTRS certified soy production volumes at the global and local levels and to assess the evolution of RTRS certified material uptake in recent years. It was also a chance to learn about several ongoing initiatives and collaborative projects geared towards the promotion, trade and use of sustainable soy in Brazil.
In his presentation, Cid Sanches, External RTRS Consultant in Brazil and meeting facilitator, stated: “RTRS has grown significantly over the last two years, both in terms of certified area and volume and in volume sold, which clearly points to solid growth rates in the responsible soy market.”
Participants at the meeting also explored three financial tools developed for Brazilian agricultural producers that provide growth opportunities and incentives to promote sustainable soy production:
- AGCO Finance, an RTRS member since 2022
Pablo Ruanoba, commercial coordinator at AGCO Finance, was present at the meeting and spoke of the “Climate Journey Fund (CJF)” programme, which allocates €100 million every year to providing favourable financing conditions to agricultural producers looking to purchase AGCO equipment.
“The CJF considers multiple factors when deciding on whether to grant credit, which include measures to directly reduce emissions, such as green equipment, electrification and efficiency improvements. Indirect emission reduction strategies – such as eco-labels, partnering up with supply chain initiatives and sustainable associations and participating in carbon programmes – are also considered,” mentioned Ruanoba. “In 2023, we worked with RTRS to offer rates up to 10% lower to RTRS certified customers,” he explained.
- Banco do Brasil, RTRS partner
Ana Lúcia Rocha Soares, advisor at the Agribusiness Department of Banco do Brasil, discussed the “Rural Product Certificate (CPR) Preservation”, a financial solution that offers credit to support and promote sustainable agricultural production. This tool uses preserved native vegetation areas as guarantees for financing; these can be legal reserves, permanent preservation areas or a native vegetation areas.
As one of the requirements to access credit, producers must be actively enrolled in the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR, Cadastro Ambiental Rural), perform geo-referencing and obtain third-party certification. The Digital Environmental Certificate (CAD, Certificado Ambiental Digital) needed for issuing the “CPR Preservation” was developed as a solution to enable remote third-party certification.
- Rabobank, an RTRS member since 2007
Bianca Larrussa, Senior Sustainable Business Development Analyst at Rabobank, presented three financial solutions to promote sustainable business models and practices: Sustainability Linked Loan, Green Deal and Agri3, the first of which is offered exclusively to RTRS certified producers.
The event continued with presentations by two more attendees: Marcela Fernandez Marini, analyst at Rabobank, who provided a diagnostic of the soy value chain.
Lara Line Pereira de Souza, Analyst at the Secretariat of Innovation, Sustainable Development, Irrigation and Cooperative Movements (SDI) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil (Mapa), who shared details about the AgroBrasil+Sustentável Platform, a voluntary and free government digital tool which seeks to make Brazil’s sustainable agricultural production more competitive in the international market and contribute to the country’s sustainable development.
Global RTRS Executive Director Luiza Bruscato said, in closing: “RTRS is the first and only certification scheme that, in addition to compensating producers for environmental services, also offers exclusive discounts, benefits and improved credit rates. This meeting was a great opportunity for us to connect. I would like to conclude by announcing that the Task Force will follow a new format from now on, with virtual meetings where members can discuss topics of relevance to the organisation”.
View the photo gallery of the event here.
