After records in 2020 and 2021, agricultural GDP falls 4,22% in 2022
The main basis for the downward scenario in 2022 is the sharp rise in input costs in the sector, both in agriculture and agro-industries, which has eroded GDP along the chains
Embrapa Soja promoted, together with the Chinese Academy of Science/China Academy of Science - CAS, on March 20, the Research, Development and Innovation Workshop (RD&I) on Sustainable Soy Production Systems, at Embrapa Soja, in Londrina (PR). The memorandum of understanding between Embrapa and the Chinese institution, signed in 2020, will now enter the discussion phase of projects of common interest for technical cooperation in RD&I. Initially, activities should be focused on actions in the area of biotechnology for soybean cultivation in tropical regions.
The general head of Embrapa Soja, Alexandre Nepomuceno reinforces, however, that the projects can be expanded to other areas of knowledge with the advancement and development of the partnership. “This partnership will enable the exchange of knowledge and even the exchange of visiting scientists between countries to develop joint projects for soybean cultivation”, he says. “At this first meeting, Chinese scientists came to learn about what we are researching and also presented the research actions they are developing to assess common interests and thus the potential for complementarity and, therefore, the development of research together”, highlights Nepomuceno .
China is currently building a laboratory in the south of the country, focusing on soybean genetics, which reveals the broad dominance it has in this area. “They are developing cutting-edge technologies, such as gene editing techniques and soybean genome sequencing. The partnership will be very important for the advancement of Brazilian research and thus the implementation of research actions in our country”, explains Nepomuceno.
The Chinese delegation that was at Embrapa Soja was made up of seven researchers from four Chinese scientific institutions and universities, experts in soybean genetics (Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, CAS; Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, CAS; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences). The Chinese scientists were welcomed by Alexandre Nepomuceno, general head of Embrapa Soja, by Adeney Bueno, head of Research and Development, by Carina Gomes Rufino, head of Technology Transfer and by Embrapa Soja researchers from different research areas.
China has great interest in a partnership with Brazil in the soybean area, as our country is its main supplier of the grain, a raw material for the production of animal feed. Around 80% of the total exported by Brazil is destined for China, that is, approximately 60 million tons of the 150 million tons of soybeans produced in the 2022/23 harvest. According to Weicai Yang, director of the Institute of Genetics and Technological Development at CAS, the partnership joins efforts to produce more quality food, ensuring food security on the planet. “In addition, both Brazil and China have a strong scientific community that can exchange a lot of experience, developing technologies and promoting scientific advances more quickly and efficiently, if they work together”, highlights Yang.
During the event, the director of Science and Technology at the Londrina Development Institute (Codel), Roberto Moreira, had the opportunity to present the innovation ecosystem in Londrina (PR). “We presented how our environment is favorable for establishing partnerships, we reported the city's potential for research like this being carried out with Embrapa, as well as our potential in other areas. We consider this type of connection extremely relevant, especially with China”, says Moreira. The city has three technology parks, two incubators, 10 governance sectors, such as Agrovalley, more than 250 startups and approximately 1600 companies in the information technology area.
The technical program included the presentation of Embrapa Soja's Active Germplasm Bank, a collection of more than 65 thousand soybean accessions (types) that stores the genetic variability of soybeans. From this collection, it is possible to identify different sources of interest for the development of soybean cultivars, for example, cultivars with greater health, better oil content and more drought tolerant, for example. The presentation was made by researchers Carlos Arrabal Arias and Marcelo Fernandes.
There was also a lecture related to Research, Development and Innovation in Biotechnology and Soy Genetics. Theme presented by researchers Liliane Henning and Francismar Guimarães. Another topic discussed at the workshop was related to the actions that have been carried out to promote decarbonization in the soy production process, in addition to the issue of bioinputs. These two themes were presented by researcher Marco Antônio Nogueira.
Marco Antonio Nogueira presented the main results of biological nitrogen fixation, a technology that allows Brazil to save around R$38 billion, per harvest, by eliminating the use of nitrogen fertilizers.
During the workshop, a discussion was also promoted about joint development between Brazilian and Chinese institutions to establish a sustainable food innovation center.
After the visit to Embrapa, the Chinese researchers will visit Cooperativa Coamo (21/03), in Campo Mourão (PR), Embrapa Agrossilvipastoril (23/03), in Sinop (MT) and a farm in Lucas do Rio Verde (MT ) (24/03).
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