Embrapa presents research agenda to the RS government

The heads of the Southern Units (Pigs and Poultry, Forests, Soy, Wheat, Grapes and Wine, Temperate Climate and Southern Livestock) met on Tuesday (24/01) in Porto Alegre (RS) for a technical agenda with representatives of the government of Rio Grande do Sul. The host of the meeting was the state secretary of Agriculture, Livestock, Sustainable Production and Irrigation (Seapi), Giovani Feltes.

The agenda of the "1st Meeting with Directors and Technicians from Embrapa in Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and Paraná" aimed to exchange information and experiences about technologies from Embrapa and state agencies, especially on topics such as mitigating the effects of drought , tackling climate change and promoting sustainable production.

At the meeting, the heads of the Southern Units presented their research agendas and potential contributions to the state's production chains. The secretaries of Agriculture, Giovani Feltes; of Rural Development, Ronaldo Santini; of Economic Development, Ernâni Polo; and the Environment, Marjorie Kauffmann. Entities such as the Agriculture Federation of RS (Farsul), the Federation of Agricultural Workers in Rio Grande do Sul (Fetag), Emater, as well as technicians from the Department of Agriculture, were also present at the meeting.

Secretary Giovani led the meeting and highlighted the importance of this first initiative to bring Embrapa Units in the South region closer to the State Government of RS. Afterwards, the General Head of Embrapa Trigo, Jorge Lemainski, presented important technologies for the growth of agribusiness in Rio Grande do Sul, in alignment with the decarbonization goals and coping with the constant droughts that have been plaguing the state. Afterwards, each of the Embrapa Units had the opportunity to present their agendas.

Among the speeches, the general head of Embrapa Swine and Poultry, Everton Krabbe, mentioned five major areas where RD&I actions are contextualized, as well as their relevance: Competitiveness; Sanity; Sustainability; Image and Innovation. Topics such as low-carbon meat, strategies to combat drought, biosecurity, as well as new actions, such as cultivated meat and xenotransplants, were among the contributions presented by the Unit.

According to the head of Embrapa Florestas, Erich Schaitza, the meeting opened constant technical discussions. “This is an initiative by centers located in the South of Brazil to be present in state sustainable development programs, with an agricultural bias, but with the potential to influence industry and the well-being of people globally, with the construction of a more decarbonized world with fewer risks generated by climate change. Working together with the government of Rio Grande do Sul is the best way to reach users in Rio Grande do Sul.” Schaitza emphasized the importance of the forest on all rural properties in Rio Grande do Sul, whether for the protection of soil, water and biodiversity, or as an important economic vector and quality of life.

At the end, the Secretary of Agriculture also presented the priority agenda and reinforced the importance of Embrapa always keeping its doors open for dialogue and for building solutions for production chains for the benefit of society.

Two Harvests

The agenda continued on the 25th, the Southern chiefs' agenda continued at Farsul, for discussion and adjustments on the Duas Safras project. The meeting was attended by the State Secretary of Agriculture, Giovani Feltes; former Secretary of Agriculture Domingos, Velho Lopes; and the president FARSUL, Gedeão Pereira, as well as representatives of entities linked to agribusiness in Rio Grande do Sul.

According to the general head of Embrapa Swine and Poultry, Everton Krabbe, the meeting highlighted three main issues. The first of these was the analysis of the two years of the Two Harvest Program, which in everyone's opinion has been a success, with an expansion of the wheat cultivation area. "In a survey carried out in 2016, on the challenges for wheat cultivation, liquidity was identified as the biggest challenge. In 2022, 70% of wheat from RS was exported, showing how this crop has professionalized and grown. Cultivation This cereal has even boosted other businesses such as ethanol produced from wheat, with three units currently under construction, close to starting their activities", highlighted Everton.

Another important point discussed at the meeting was the adoption of winter cereals in the animal feed industry, a topic considered strategic for RS, as three of the last four corn harvests were compromised by drought problems. "The perspective of producing triticale and barley for animal feed is seen as an alternative that needs to be better understood by the animal feed industry, with support from the research work carried out by Embrapa Swine and Poultry", commented Krabbe, who added that in 2023 a technical event will be organized with the animal protein industries to encourage the adoption of triticale and barley in the feed industry.

Coping with frequent droughts is one of the priorities of the Rio Grande do Sul Government, and the Duas Safras program integrates the alternatives. Everton explains that one of the challenges to overcome is environmental, which makes water reservation unfeasible, since practically all of the 85 existing reservoirs were built before 1980, when environmental policies became more restrictive. It is estimated that approximately 324000 ha are under irrigation in RS, which represents less than 5% of rainfed crops. Thus, as one of the meeting's proposals, Embrapa, together with representative entities and the agroindustry, should promote the adoption of triticale and barley in animal nutrition.