Tonnes of CO2eq Compensated
178
Project Type
Regenerative Agriculture
Biome
Atlantic Forest
Location
Capela
Status
Active
Standard
VCS
Regenerative Agriculture and Sustainable Coffees Project
Largely located in the Carmo do Rio Claro Region, in Minas Gerais, the project contributes to the diagnosis and treatment of soil health, where life begins. In a biome transition composed of 40% Cerrado and 60% Atlantic Forest, this special project helps in the production of sustainable coffee on approximately 1165 hectares or nearly twelve hundred soccer fields. Much beyond the cup, when someone drinks the coffee from this project, they also drink science, a lot of tradition, the effort of different families and generations, and, of course, good practices that preserve our planeta.
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The special project 'Good Practices in Regenerative Agriculture' is related to best management practices in tropical agriculture to increase carbon retention in the soil, reducing its degradation into atmospheric CO2. Soil plays a fundamental role in the carbon cycle that is often overlooked or not given due attention. Soil is one of the main regulators of CO2 in our planet's atmosphere and is related to over 40% of the different Sustainable Development Goals proposed by the United Nations (SDGs - UN).
Agricultural and urban soils have great potential to positively impact socio-environmental actions. Approximately 4 out of 10 green titles in Brazil come from the sustainable land use sector. Eco-efficiency, soil health diagnostics, sustainable fiber production, forest management, and regenerative agriculture are actions that are already being carried out. The group of scientists and soil experts involved in the project believe that tropical soils could be strong Brazilian allies in the international green titles market. According to FAO/UN, around 2/3 of terrestrial carbon is stored in the soil. Therefore, any change in this natural reservoir causes major changes in CO2 concentration in the planet's atmosphere.
The special project in regenerative agriculture is related to the identification and mapping of minerals naturally present in the planet's soils. These minerals are nanometric structures of the order of 2 millimeters divided into over 2000 parts. They are structures the size of proteins or even of the covid19 virus itself. These nanoparticles manufactured by nature have a great reactivity capacity with other elements in the environment such as carbon, gases, plants, animals, and agricultural inputs such as nitrogenous fertilizers. In some cases, around 1 gram of these minerals (nanoparticles formed in the soil) has a reactivity surface the size of 100 square meters, i.e., 100 grams have the same size in terms of reactivity area as the Maracanã stadium field. This is the same principle of specific surface area that makes our lungs filter CO2 and absorb nutrients in our intestines, the smaller the structure, the more reactive it is.
Our projects carried out in different contexts of Brazilian agriculture and supported by both research institutions and the productive sector, show that when these soil nanoparticles, also called clay typology, are diagnosed, mapped, and directed to implement good agricultural management practices, different sustainable gains and benefits are obtained.
The potential for carbon storage in the soil is a consequence of these factors and natural soil processes intensified by management. Mapping clay quality is identifying locations with different gas emission potentials, for carbon storage, as well as helping to create an action plan for carbon credits. Adapting management practices to maximize this carbon sequestration in the soil considering clay quality is already an alternative for the sustainable market.
Location
What are the project SDGs
The project Regenerative Agriculture and Sustainable Coffees Project includes 4 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, which are:
ZERO HUNGER
End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. This goal aims to ensure that all people have access to adequate, nutritious, and sufficient food, eradicate hunger in all its forms, and ensure sustainable agricultural systems that can feed the current and future population in an equitable and environmentally responsible manner. This involves promoting sustainable agricultural practices, strengthening the resilience of food systems, and ensuring equitable access to natural resources and agricultural technologies.
SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. This goal aims to improve the quality of life in urban areas by promoting sustainable urban development and ensuring equitable access to basic services such as adequate housing, public transportation, sanitation, energy, and infrastructure. It also seeks to make cities safer, resilient to natural disasters, and environmentally sustainable by protecting cultural and natural heritage and promoting inclusive economic development. SDG 11 recognizes the crucial role of cities in achieving the global Sustainable Development Goals and promoting a more just and sustainable future for all.
CLIMATE ACTION
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. This goal aims to address the challenges posed by climate change, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, adapting to adverse impacts already occurring, and promoting climate resilience. Achieving this goal requires actions at various levels, from local to international, aiming at mitigating emissions, developing adaptation strategies, implementing environmental policies, and mobilizing resources to finance measures to combat climate change. SDG 13 recognizes the urgency of acting to avoid the worst effects of climate change and to protect the environment for future generations.
PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE GOALS
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development. This goal aims to strengthen collaboration between countries and across the public, private, and civil society sectors to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It seeks to promote inclusive and multi-stakeholder partnerships, mobilize financial, technological, and human resources, and strengthen international cooperation to support developing countries in implementing the SDGs. SDG 17 also emphasizes the importance of technology transfer, capacity building, and the establishment of monitoring and reporting systems to track progress towards the SDGs. It recognizes that achieving the SDGs requires coordinated and collaborative action at the global, regional, national, and local levels.