On the eve of the Food Systems Summit, governments of the Americas and the private sector affirm that sustainable agriculture requires healthy soils

New York, 22 September 2021 (IICA) – Improving soil health and prioritizing its role in carbon sequestration is essential to achieving more sustainable agri-food systems that, in turn, will produce healthier foods for a growing global population and help eradicate hunger.

These were the conclusions drawn by the ministers and other top officials of the countries of the Americas, as well as representatives of the largest agricultural companies and of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in the precursor to the 2021 Food Systems Summit convened by the United Nations Secretary-General.

Rattan Lal, the world’s leading authority on soil science, also presented at the event. Lal, together with IICA, is implementing the “Living Soils of the Americas” program, whose purpose is to coordinate efforts to combat soil degradation, a severe threat to food production.

The debate highlighted the strong commitment of the region’s governments and the private sector to the initiative, in the belief that maintaining soil health is one of the central challenges facing agriculture today and to achieving economic, social and environmental sustainability.

The Americas are the only continent to have reached a unified position ahead of the Food Systems Summit, which they defined in a document with 16 messages that were agreed on by the 34 Member States of IICA and that received hemispheric support during the Conference of Ministers of Agriculture of the Americas, held on 1-2 September.

The participants at the debate included María Emilia Undurraga, Minister of Agriculture of Chile; Saboto Caesar, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry and Labor of San Vincent and the Grenadines; Fernando Camargo, Secretary of Innovation, Rural Development and Irrigation of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply of Brazil; Natasha Santos, Vice President of Global Stakeholders Strategy and Affairs at Bayer; Juan Pablo Llobet, Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at Syngenta; and Paula Uribe, Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs at Pepsico.

The opening and closing remarks were made by Manuel Otero, Director General of IICA. Agnes Kalibata, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy to the 2021 Food Systems Summit, also shared a message during the event. Federico Villarreal, Director of Technical Cooperation at IICA, served as moderator.

Rattan Lal emphasized that the event put on display the strength of the coalition formed around the program, which promotes practices to revert soil degradation and favor soil carbon sequestration in the Americas.

“Whatever happens at the Food Systems Summit will be overshadowed by our discussion here today between ministers and representatives of the private sector—that is the strength of this program”, commented Lal, Director of the Center for Carbon Management and Sequestration (C-MASC) at The Ohio State University, 2020 World Food Prize laureate and 2007 Nobel Peace Prize co-laureate.

“Healthy soils will save humanity and the planet by providing safe, nutritious foods, improving soil quality and durability, and fighting poverty, leaving no one behind. Healthy soils equal healthy people and a healthy planet”, added the scientist who is also Goodwill Ambassador for IICA.

Minister Undurraga informed that the current rate of soil degradation is threatening the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as the ability for future generations to meet their needs.

“Healthy soils are living soils and our forestry and agriculture systems have a huge impact on the organisms found in the soil, as well as their activity and biodiversity. That is why production systems that promote soil health are vital for efficient and sustainable food production”, said Chile’s Minister of Agriculture.

Minister Caesar shared that on average, the small island states of the Caribbean have only 7,000 to 10,000 hectares of agricultural land and so soil health gains even greater importance. This reality is exacerbated by their strong vulnerability to climate change.

“Over the last decade, we have been hit with several natural disasters; in the case of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the most recent was 32 eruptions of La Soufrière volcano, which covered the country’s agricultural lands in ash and slashed our productive capacity. We must strengthen our public policies to ensure the lands are protected”, stated Caesar.

Fernando Camargo detailed the different programs being implemented in Brazil to promote low-carbon, water-efficient agriculture. The official for the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply revealed that between 2010 and 2020, these initiatives encompassed 52 million hectares—twice the surface area of the United Kingdom.

“Count on Brazil to join in the efforts to preserve natural resources, especially to preserve our soils—a treasure for the national economy”, he concluded.

In turn, Natasha Santos commented that “there has never been an opportunity like this one to implement good agricultural practices, such as soil rehabilitation and sustainable management”, and reaffirmed Bayer’s commitment to the initiative.

“We are working to empower producers to improve the environment, because they have huge potential to improve productivity and increase carbon sequestration. We need the full collaboration of all stakeholders to create solutions in a region as important to food production as Latin America”, she said.

Juan Pablo Llobet underscored the role of alliances in sustainably improving agricultural productivity. “Not only do we believe that we can contribute innovation and expertise, but we can also continue to learn”, he said.

Llobet stated that Syngenta has contributed to restoring 14 million hectares of degraded soils in Brazil, Mexico, and other countries in the region.

For her part, Paula Uribe thanked IICA for its coordination of the different stakeholders committed to caring for the planet. “It is essential for all stakeholders to have a seat at the table and to partake in a dialogue that seeks sustainable solutions”.

Uribe shared that Pepsico, as a global food and drink producer, has designed a roadmap that includes the objective of zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030: “Agriculture is at the heart of what we do. We have a positive agricultural agenda that includes investing in innovation to reduce our carbon footprint, feed a growing population, and create opportunities for more people”.

Agnes Kalibata explained that, over the last 50 years, the world has seen a sharp rise not only in global food production, but also in the population living with hunger. “Today, 820 million people are hungry, while 35% of all food that is produced goes to waste, totaling $936 billion annually”, she maintained. Consequently, food systems “must change to put an end to hunger, be healthier and more inclusive, and safeguard the health of our planet”, she pleaded.

Along the same line, Manuel Otero affirmed that soil health affects the sustainability of agri-food systems, producers, and rural communities.

“We have all learned that without healthy soils, there is no future for our countries. Some years ago, the concept of one health was not as rooted as it is today, when no one can dispute it”, stated the Director General of IICA.

Otero praised the “Living Soils of the Americas” program, which allows the countries of the hemisphere to showcase how they are prioritizing the topic and to share the actions they are implementing.

“The nations are becoming more and more aware, based on their own socioeconomic and productive realities, of the fact that we cannot waste any more time. There is no territorial development without healthy soils and proper water management. IICA is committed to helping the countries create resilient systems. The future of our planet is on the line”.

More information:

Institutional Communication Division

comunicacion.institucional@iica.int