Soy as a regenerative pioneer
RTRS International Conference 2024 | Session 3
Experts from Brazil and Argentina shared experiences and advancements in regenerative farming practices, emphasizing the role of soy in soil restoration and ecosystem conservation, while proposing broader collaboration to overcome challenges related to climate change and environmental degradation.
Amid growing concerns about climate change, biodiversity loss, and soil degradation, regenerative agriculture has emerged as a powerful framework for sustainable farming.
It’s a concept that goes beyond reducing harm—it seeks to restore ecosystems, enhance soil health, and create resilience within agricultural systems. During the RTRS International Conference in Ghent, Belgium, this vision for the future of soy production took centre stage. Over the course of two afternoon sessions, producers, researchers, and corporate leaders laid out a roadmap for how the soy industry can become a global leader in regenerative agriculture.
The theme for the conference, Towards a Regenerative Transition, perfectly captured the ambition of the discussions. The speakers and participants explored how soy could not only adapt to the demands of a changing world but also set the standard for regenerative practices across the agricultural industry.
Regenerative agriculture from the ground up
Session 3 “Regenerative Agriculture: Views from the field”, was introduced by Gisela Introvini of Fapcen, a Gold Sponsor of the RTRS Conference, and moderated by Ana Laura Andreani, RTRS’s Technical Unit Manager. It focused on regenerative agriculture at the field level, with producers and researchers sharing practical insights and innovations to demonstrate how soy farming can contribute to environmental restoration.
“It’s great to have the possibility of such an experienced panel sharing their learnings and key outcomes. There is a lot of knowledge in our countries and we need to transform this into more action,” concluded Ana.
As part of Fapcen’s presentation, Gisela Introvini introduced a video showcasing three RTRS-certified properties supported by Fapcen, which were recognized by Brazil’s leading agricultural media, ‘Rural Channel,’ as sustainable farms. “It reflects what can be achieved when producers work for the greater good and the collective development of a region,” highlighted Introvini.
“Fapcen views the RTRS certification, carried out by its team on rural properties in Maranhão and Piauí, as a catalyst for regional development in the Cerrados of Northeastern Brazil. This success is due to the professionalism of rural producers in soil conservation practices that ensure regenerative agriculture, carbon sequestration in the soil of crops like soybeans and corn, alternating with grasses and livestock. In addition to minimizing agricultural risks, these practices help reduce social disparities that still persist in the region and preserve the biodiversity of the biomes (Cerrado – Savannah/Caatinga, Amazonia). At the same time, Fapcen emphasizes the work of producers in social projects alongside cities and communities, offering courses, training, and fostering improvements in quality of life for all,” said Introvini.
Sebastián Malizia, Executive Director at Fundación ProYungas in Argentina, opened the discussion by highlighting the importance of conservation in regenerative agriculture. Reflecting on Elkington’s keynote, he called for the sector to embrace discomfort and collaborate across ideological divides to drive change.
“When we talk about long-term conservation, we must do that with producers,” Malizia said. He pointed to the 30×30 campaign, which aims to protect 30% of the planet’s land and oceans by 2030, as an example of an ambitious goal that requires collective action. Soy producers, he noted, often own significant forested areas that are critical for biodiversity and carbon sequestration. However, these contributions are rarely valued.
“Producers are making extraordinary efforts to transform their practices, but that needs to be reflected in the value of those efforts,” Malizia said. He also urged the industry to simplify its approaches to make regenerative agriculture more accessible, cautioning against letting complexity become a barrier to progress.
For Roberto Acauan, Sales Director at SLC Agrícola in Brazil, regenerative agriculture is not just a theoretical framework but a practical reality. Operating 23 farms across seven states in Brazil, SLC has implemented no-till farming, cover crops, and digital agriculture solutions to enhance sustainability.
Acauan shared impressive results from these practices, including a 27% reduction in fuel consumption through precision farming and significant reductions in fertilizer use, thanks to advanced mapping technologies. SLC has also transitioned 15% of its crop protection to biological measures, reducing reliance on chemical inputs. Notably, the localized application of pesticides has led to substantial savings of R$ 82 million, with 64% of the reduction in crop protection costs achieved in the 2023/24 season alone.
“We want to protect the planet and produce sustainably,” Acauan said, emphasizing that these innovations have improved both environmental outcomes and operational efficiency.
He further detailed how the company incorporates regenerative principles such as rotating cover crops to replenish soil nutrients, and using digital agriculture tools to monitor plant fertility and optimize fertilizer usage. SLC has also leveraged mapping technologies to target herbicides more effectively, achieving a remarkable 72% reduction in their use.
The question of how to measure soil regeneration was addressed on the panel by Marcelo Beltrán, a researcher at the Soil Institute of INTA Castelar in Argentina. Beltrán explained that metrics such as soil carbon levels, biodiversity, and soil respiration are critical for assessing progress. INTA teams have conducted field experiments across Argentina to evaluate the impact of regenerative practices on soil health.
He highlighted the scale of the challenge in Argentina: “In our country, there are many degraded areas, with an estimated 100 million hectares affected. Therefore, it’s essential to explore more sustainable production methods that can regenerate these areas.”
Beltrán noted that tools like cover crops are increasingly being adopted by producers, particularly in the northern Pampas region, as well as in the Northwest and Northeast of Argentina. “Currently, around 15% of producers are using these techniques, which have already shown significant benefits in improving both the physical and chemical quality of the soil,” he said.
Beltrán further explained that regenerative practices, such as crop sequencing and reduced tillage, not only improve soil quality but are also critical for the future of Argentine agriculture.
He concluded by reiterating the necessity of sustainable soy management with higher carbon input and biodiversity, emphasizing that “soil carbon sequestration holds great potential in Argentina, and these practices must be adopted more widely to address soil degradation and ensure long-term agricultural productivity.”
Dr. João Carlos Moraes Sá, a Senior Associate Researcher at The Ohio State University, built on Beltrán’s insights by discussing the potential of no-till systems to transform soil into a carbon sink. “No-till systems with carbon sequestration based on biomass input can be a key way to develop regenerative and environmental agricultural approaches,” Sá explained.
Despite the promise of these systems, Sá noted that currently only 0.205 billion hectares (Bha), which represents 12.9% of the total 1.59 Bha of global annual crop production, adopt conservation agriculture practices. He called for a global effort to scale up these methods, emphasizing the interconnected benefits for soil health, biodiversity, and climate mitigation.
Session 3 reaffirmed the agricultural sector’s commitment to sustainability and ecosystem regeneration. Through practical examples and innovative advancements, panelists highlighted how soy can play a key role in the transition to regenerative agriculture that promotes soil conservation, biodiversity, and reduced carbon footprints. Collaboration and knowledge exchange among producers and experts are essential to address environmental challenges and ensure a more sustainable future for agriculture.
