IICA attends massive congress of corn and sorghum farmers in Argentina, where farmers are hailing the bioeconomy as an extraordinary opportunity for development
Buenos Aires, 2 June 2023 (IICA) – The extraordinary growth of the bioeconomy in Argentina and the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean, and the immense opportunities it stands to offer in the future, were the key focus of a Congress by the MAIZAR organization. The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) took part in the meeting, which was held in Buenos Aires.
Approximately 2,000 persons attended the event, including producers, researchers and various stakeholders from the agrifood value chain.
MAIZAR is the Argentine Corn and Sorghum Federation and its annual meeting featured more then 30 panel discussions and a variety of workshops, where more than 100 local and foreign specialists made presentations and shared their experiences.
The Conference was devoted to the bioeconomy, in other words, the use of biomass as an input to create multiple products, which offers the region a path to environmentally friendly economic growth, through the efficient and sustainable use of natural resources.
To demonstrate the potential of the bioeconomy for the production of clothing using plant raw materials, MAIZAR President, Pedro Vigneau, explained that the suit he was wearing was fashioned from a fabric made from corn starch and the soles of his athletic shoes were manufactured from corn biopolymer.
“Corn has more than 4,000 uses”, said Vigneau. There is an enormous opportunity to process and industrialize it, which should be done in close vicinity to the locations where it is grown. Corn is a part of much of our lives, for example as a biofuel, through the production of ethanol”.
“Today, there is an increasing demand for products that protect the planet. Thus, there is an immense opportunity for the bioeconomy. We must convince policymakers of this and go out and spread the word”.
On the other hand, Juan Manuel Fernández Arocena, Chief of Staff of the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of Argentina maintained that, “The bioeconomy is biomass plus knowledge. It is the starting point of a new era in production”.
“Scientific and technological advances will play a key role in the challenges ahead of us in agriculture, because it is no longer just a question of producing more, but also of producing in a different way”.
The official described biomass as a sustainable development paradigm that contributes to the efficient use of biomass, while also fostering rural employment and retention. “Today we cannot think about production and development without linking them to sustainability”.
In 2020, the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of Argentina established the National Bioeconomy Office, which develops programs to foster the production of bio-based products, such as bioinputs and biomaterials, and also promotes bioenergy. It also supports the application of biotechnology as a tool to facilitate the improvement of plants, animals and microorganisms in agriculture.
Bridge between production and the environment
IICA Director General, Manuel Otero, spoke of the potential of the bioeconomy from the perspective of Latin America and the Caribbean – a region that is the world’s largest net agrifood exporter, with the planet’s largest storehouse of natural resources.
He explained that, “The bioeconomy is a development model that builds bridges between production and the environment. It can generate economic and social growth. Today, growth in bioproduct markets is outpacing the growth of traditional products. Our rural areas are vast biomass producers and we are faced with a phenomenal opportunity”.
If we want to be forward thinking and to achieve growth that generates progress and employment, the solution is the bioeconomy and we must continue to rally behind it”.
Otero also stressed that it is imperative that national and subregional science, technology and innovation systems be strengthened. “We are not investing enough”, he warned.
The IICA Director General explained that the countries in the region are at different stages of development as it relates to bioeconomy institutional structures. “There are countries in the regulatory, implementation or strategy design phases. No one is treading the same path, but we must recognize the importance of the bioeconomy, as we have made significant strides in Latin America and the Caribbean that demonstrate our potential”.
A process of growing complexity
Chair of the MAIZAR Congress and Director of the Bioeconomy Program in the Faculty of Agronomy at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), Fernando Vilella, presented an overview of data that demonstrates Argentina’s potential to generate biomass and its potential to be transformed into multiple products.
“Based on the process of photosynthesis, our countries can export technology or generate carbon credits. The growing complexity of these processes is unimaginable. There is a tremendous opportunity for development”, said the expert.
The Conference touched on issues such as the status and potential of the corn and sorghum bioeconomy; what State policies are required and how to negotiate among different stakeholders in the chain; how to gain access to markets and what situations may arise in the international context; what is the value of fertilizers, seed technology, bioinputs and smart agriculture; what is the role of sustainability and how to capitalize on the low environmental footprint of corn and sorghum in this part of the world.
There were five meeting rooms in the event, one of which was exclusively for young people, who spoke about talent management, political participation, digital transformation, the integration of FinTechs and innovation.
The Association of Argentine Cooperatives (ACA), made up of 130 cooperatives and approximately 50,000 farmers, showcased their bioeconomy achievements. The organization has a corn bioethanol plant in the city of Villa María, which produces balanced animal feeds for use in the production of animal protein, namely poultry, eggs, pork, beef and dairy products.
We need to improve genetics in order to boost corn yields. “We are working assiduously with new practices, such as controlled environment and precision agriculture, fertilization and variable rate seeding”, said the Deputy General Manager of ACA, Víctor Accastello.
Teresa Cañete, Business Development Manager at Bio4, spoke of the solutions that the bioeconomy has provided for her company, which is headquartered in the city of Río Cuarto. Bio4 produces 90 thousand cubic meters of bioethanol per year and also manufactures biogas with corn silage and cow dung. The residue from the biogas production is then used as biofertilizer.
Cañete remarked that, “We have a circular economy system. Opportunities are immense, because Argentina is a huge photosynthesis factory that allows us to produce extremely high-quality cereals and we are pioneers in the bioeconomy. It will enable us to substitute imports and decarbonize the energy matrix, thereby meeting our international environmental commitments and spurring regional development and job creation”.
More information:
Institutional Communication Division.
comunicacion.institucional@iica.int