Government of Goiás launches Goiano Remineralizer Program

The Government of Goiás will take a pioneering step on the national scene with the launch of the Goiás Remineralizer Program (Prorem-GO), which will take place in the auditorium of the Research Support Foundation of the Federal University of Goiás (UFG), next Monday, August 12th, from 14pm. The initiative is from the Secretariat of Industry, Commerce and Services (SIC), with the support of Tratto Agro, the first company in the country to register a remineralizer with the Ministry of Agriculture and Supply (Mapa), and several other institutional partners.  

With planned investments of R$20 million by 2025, coming from the State Treasury, the program seeks to unite public and private efforts to implement sustainable practices in mining and agriculture, aligning with the objectives of the United Nations 2030 Agenda and promoting a circular bioeconomy.

“This proposal reaffirms the commitment of the State of Goiás to the development of national and regional solutions to reduce environmental impact and increase the efficiency and sustainability of the agricultural sector”, highlights the state secretary of Industry, Commerce and Services, Joel de Sant'Anna Braga Filho.

Made possible by SIC, the program seeks to respond to the growing demand from agribusiness and family farming for new alternative agricultural inputs, with emphasis on soil remineralizers. “These materials, considered multi-nutrients, play a vital role in promoting regenerative agriculture and preserving food security”, highlights the head of SIC.

Recognized as the world's largest importer of fertilizers, Brazil is at the forefront of innovation in the production chain of soil remineralizers and silicate fertilizers. The products not only contribute to economic and environmental sustainability, but also have significant potential to improve the agronomic efficiency and socio-environmental sustainability of agricultural production.

“Goiás stands out in this scenario as the second largest producer of sustainable agricultural inputs in the country, with a 24% share of the national market and being a pioneer in registering these products with Mapa”, informs Braga Filho.

According to the coordinator of Prorem-GO, Lívia Parreira, the initiative's actions include the analysis of mineral production areas and the types of waste generated, the diagnosis and mapping of laboratories suitable for mineralogical characterization and technological studies, in addition to validation of agronomic efficiency for registration on the Map.

“Studies aimed at carbon sequestration, bioweathering and climate monitoring using remineralizers are also planned, as well as ongoing training and support for postgraduate programs”, she explains. “It is worth highlighting that Goiás already has nine products registered on Mapa and the initial proposal includes the evaluation of 65 potential products that could serve all regions of Goiás.”

Center of Excellence

In addition to the state program, Goiás is also tipped to receive a Remineralizer Hub, leading regional units in the Midwest of the Center of Excellence for Fertilizers and Plant Nutrition. This center, which will be owned by the federal government, will specialize in agro-environmental sustainability and agronomic efficiency of fertilizers, promoting research and the use of remineralizers, technologies and sustainable production systems.

"We are combining this program with the potential of two strong economies in Goiás, mining and agriculture. Just as we were pioneers in the bioinputs program in Goiás, we are now the pioneers in launching the remineralizer program", reinforces Lívia.

First record is from Goiás

Goiás also stands out as the first Brazilian state to have soil remineralizers registered on the Map for use in agriculture. The rock powder that was the focus of the pioneering research was Fino de Micaschisto (FMX), from the Goiás company Tratto Agro. "At the time, my partner noticed the place where the rock powder was being stored, vegetation began to grow around it, which impressed us. Until then, this rock powder was not sold", recalls the company's CEO, Daniel Antunes.

He adds that the company decided to look for Embrapa Cerrados, which came to check the product closely. “We decided to carry out an analysis, and the results showed that the powder contained potassium and micronutrients, in addition to being free of contaminants”, says the CEO.

Daniel also says that work began with Embrapa, which was completed between 2015 and 2016. “It was during this period that we registered the product on Mapa. In fact, we were the first in Brazil to obtain this registration, so much so that the regulations created by the ministry were based on our study", he points out.

Professor Éder Martins, from Embrapa, was responsible for the research. According to him, the role of research is fundamental in the development of soil remineralizers. “The editions of the Brazilian Rochagem Congress were the basis for defining the concept of soil remineralizer and its regulation by Law 12.890/2013 and Normative Instructions 05 and 06 of 2016 by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. Following the regulation, the first two products were registered as a result of research carried out at Embrapa Cerrados and the University of Brasília (UnB)”, recalls Éder.

He also adds that, then, the Federal University of Goiás (UFG), the Federal Institute Goiano (IFG), the State University of Goiás (UEG), the Federal University of Jataí (UFJ), the Federal University of Catalão (UFCAT ), among others, began to develop systematic research on these inputs. “Prorem-GO has great potential to strengthen a research network with all these institutions and together with the government and the private sector”, he says.

UFG professor Eliana Brasil, coordinator of Nuclisolos, lists the two main aspects of the aforementioned program: development of innovative scientific investigations that demonstrate the effectiveness of remineralizers in Goiás with proof of their agronomic efficiency and the advancement of knowledge of the potential of the State's geology of Goiás, within the scope of multidisciplinarity.

According to her, the prospects of new registrations of remineralizers in Goiás on the Map, promotion and consolidation of knowledge on the topic of remineralizers will be the strategic guiding bases for agro-environmental, economic and social sustainability in the State of Goiás. “Remineralizers represent the basis of regenerative agriculture, as they are high-performance inputs”, he concludes.