Land Innovation Fund to Hold International Discussions on Innovation for Sustainable Soy
With its Land Innovation Dialogues, the Fund aims to share more expertise on innovation for a sustainable, deforestation-and conversion-free soy supply chain.
Challenges and opportunities facing responsible agricultural development in the Gran Chaco biome will be key issues for the first online sessions of the Land Innovation Dialogues, a series of international events held with support from the Land Innovation Fund, to further dialogue and produce a portfolio of integrated, innovative solutions for a sustainable soy supply chain free from deforestation and the conversion of native vegetation. To kick off the series, the Argentine No-till Association (Aapresid) and the ProYungas Foundation, our partner institutions in Argentina, will hold three online meetings each, starting on October 26, coming together to enhance the sharing of knowledge on innovation for sustainable agriculture in the region.
Each of the institutions will prepare and conduct panel discussions with a variety of partners and speakers, expanding the reach and impact of discussions on sustainability beyond the Land Innovation Fund's own audience.
"Increasing the diversity of voices in this debate is key to strengthening sustainable agriculture. We hope to expand that dialogue by aligning greater demand for agricultural growth with the international agenda for environmental preservation and restoration," says Land Innovation Fund Director Carlos E. Quintela.
The Land Innovation Dialogues will be enabled through specific funding for institutions with recognized experience and performance in the sector, interested in helping to spread knowledge about sustainable innovation applied to soy crops. The meetings use this engagement to strengthen the Land Innovation Fund's work, along with support for projects and programs to achieve a sustainable soy supply chain, free of deforestation and conversion of native vegetation.
Gran Chaco Dialogues:
The Gran Chaco is one of the Land Innovation Fund's priority biomes, alongside the Cerrado and the Amazon. The largest tropical dry forest in the Americas, the Chaco spans areas in Argentina, Paraguay, and Bolivia, and since the 1990s has faced significant rates of deforestation caused by growing pressures to convert natural ecosystems into farmland, especially for soy farming. These first Land Innovation Dialogues, hosted by the ProYungas Foundation and Aapresid, will be a setting for exchange and learning to promote discussions on sustainable agricultural in the region.
As part of the "Gran Chaco Dialogues", the three meetings promoted by the ProYungas Foundation will bring together stakeholders from the public and private sectors and civil society to discuss the importance of soy production for the Gran Chaco, roles and opportunities for the private sector in fostering biodiversity conservation, support for local communities, and the promotion of innovative solutions for sustainable agriculture in the region. The events will take place on October 26, 27 and 28, from 4pm to 5:30pm, featuring speakers from farmers' associations and cooperatives, non-governmental organizations, and research institutes, with support from the Land Innovation Fund.
For more information visit the ProYungas website
The three online sessions hosted by Aapresid will showcase the outlooks of farmers' and other rural associations. The events will discuss the benefits of integrated farming approaches for sustainable soybeans – from no-till farming to encouraging crop rotation and the sensible use of inputs, among other responsible techniques, and will outline a roadmap to implement innovative solutions for sustainability in the field. The events take place on October 29, November 19, and December 3, from 2pm to 5pm.
For more information visit the Aapresid website.