Further intensification of bilateral agricultural cooperation: Phase 2 of APD Brazil officially launched
A delegation from the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) and other German partners traveled to Brasília and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil from Oct 28 to Nov 1, 2024 to deepen bilateral cooperation with Brazil in the agricultural sector and officially open the second phase of the German-Brazilian Agricultural Policy Dialogue (APD). The APD, which is funded by the BMEL and implemented by IAK Agrar Consulting GmbH, focuses its activities on these fields of action: programs for the rehabilitation of degraded pastures, support for family farms and the promotion of sustainable food systems, agroecology, organic farming and bioeconomy as well as the development of deforestation-free supply chains and traceability systems. The delegation was accompanied by Johanna Scholz (BMEL), Denis Ünver (GFA Consulting Group GmbH) and Michael Bödecker (IAK) as well as representatives of the German Embassy in Brasília for some program points.
The Project Steering Group (PSG) meeting took place on Oct 29, 2024 at the German Embassy. In addition to the German delegation, Brazilian representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply (MAPA), the Ministry of Agrarian Development (MDA), the Ministry of Social Development and Fight Against Hunger (MDS), the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA) and the National Council for Food and Nutrition Security (CONSEA) also took part. The agenda included the work plan for the coming months and the very good cooperation to date, the relevance of sustainable development and the importance of cooperation between Brazil and Germany in the agricultural sector, which were impressively emphasized. All partners agreed that bilateral cooperation should continue to be driven forward with commitment and build on the successes of the first project phase.
The next day, a visit to the Instituto Federal de Brasilia in Planaltina was on the agenda. In addition to training and research facilities, innovative trials on silvopastoral systems and agroforest solutions were also presented. These offer important approaches for sustainable land use in Brazil. In the afternoon, the tour continued to EMBRAPA Cerrados, a leading research center for sustainable agriculture. At the end of the day, the second phase of the APD was officially launched with a convivial get-together.
On the following two days, the delegation took part in Green Rio 2024 in Rio de Janeiro. The APD was actively involved in various panels at the international bioeconomy trade fair. The delegation also engaged in intensive discussions with AS-PTA, an organization that promotes agroecological initiatives in north-eastern Brazil. A German-Brazilian workshop on the second day focused on sustainable agriculture and the bioeconomy. The trip concluded with a working meeting with EMBRAPA, at which potential new collaborations and the expansion of joint projects with German research institutions were discussed in detail.
The trip was characterized by the close German-Brazilian cooperation in the agricultural sector and the strong joint commitment to sustainable development goals. The consensus and determined attitude of all partners to promote innovative and forward-looking agricultural solutions made a decisive contribution to the success of the delegation trip.