From Forests to Farms: Tackling the Environmental and Social Impacts of Food Production in Brazil
Food systems play a critical role in determining the future of forests around the world. Livestock farming and other forms of agriculture have also had a significant impact on the global climate change landscape. In Brazil, deforestation for pastures is one of the main causes of greenhouse gas emissions, and methane emissions from cattle digestion and animal waste decomposition further contribute to the problem. In addition to its climate and biodiversity impacts, food production in the Amazon is also linked to pervasive land grabbing and illegal deforestation, lending to corruption, fraud and laundering practices that harm indigenous peoples and local communities.
As part of this day-long series of programs, panels of experts and stakeholders will discuss ongoing challenges in addressing the environmental and social impacts of the Brazilian meat supply chain, as well as promising solutions for shifting food production in Brazil towards a more sustainable model.
Program
PROGRAM 1 — Watching Brazil’s Food Systems: Traceability, Transparency & Integrity in the Meat Supply Chain
Produced by Transparency International Brazil
9:00 AM — Welcoming Address
Adalene is a Senior Fellow at the Guarini Center. Her current work and research focuses include local climate action, urban wild animals, and international environmental law and policy. In her time at the Guarini Center, Adalene has also worked on and led projects focusing on local food policy, land use, and providing capacity building assistance to the small island developing states in international treaty negotiations.
9:15 AM — Presentation on Radar Verde & Panel A: Transparency & Traceability in the Brazilian Meat Supply Chain
Alexandre Mansur is a journalist. He has worked for 30 years in mainstream media covering sustainability for outlets such as Jornal do Brasil, Veja magazine, and Época magazine. He writes for the Ideias Renováveis column in Exame magazine and for the Um Só Planeta portal of Grupo Globo. He is also a board member of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (Instituto Energia e Meio Ambiente), Green Initiative (Iniciativa Verde), and the Pro-UCs Network (Rede Pró-UCs). He is currently the project director of Mundo Que Queremos and coordinator of Radar Verde.
10:15 AM — Panel B: Countering Deforestation & Corruption in the Brazilian Amazon
Bruno Brandão is an economist from the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Master in Public Management from the University of York (United Kingdom) and in International Relations from Barcelona Institute of International Studies (Spain). He has worked for Transparency International (TI) for over ten years, having experience in the organization’s Secretariat in Germany, coordinating the Climate Financing Integrity Program in Mexico and, since 2016, he has been the executive director of the organization’s Brazilian chapter.
COFFEE BREAK (11:15 – 11:30 PM)
PROGRAM 2 — Transforming Brazil’s Food Systems: Best Practices for Promoting Biodiversity and Combating Climate Change
11:30 AM — Panel Discussion
Grazielle Parenti has over 28 years of experience and high-profile participation in the Food and Agriculture Industry, having worked for BRF, Diageo, and Mondelez. She holds a Business B.A. from Fundação Getúlio Vargas (“FGV”), an MBA with emphasis in Marketing from FIA/USP, and a Graduate Degree in Public Policy from FGV. Up until July 2022, she was the Vice President of Global Institutional Relations and Sustainability for BRF and held the position of Council President of ABIA – Brazilian Association of the Food Industry –, as well as President of the BRF Institute, and Counselor in the Executive Council of Foreign Trade for the Ministry of Economy.
1:00 PM — Lunch Talk: Opportunities for Generating Carbon Credits by Brazilian Agribusiness
At this lunch talk, representatives from three Brazilian companies will come together to present cases from Brazilian farms that generate carbon credits, and discuss promising opportunities for developing new agricultural sources of carbon credits, such as fruits, coffee, cocoa, rubber trees, and other perennial plant-based agriculture. The group will also launch a public invite to contribute to this development. Food and beverages to be provided.
This lunch talk is generously sponsored by Citrosuco, Eccon Soluções Ambientais, and Reservas Votorantim.
Mr. David Canassa holds the position of Executive Director at Reservas Votorantim, Votorantim’s pioneering platform for nature-based solutions. With more than 20 years dedicated to sustainability within Votorantim’s companies, he also serves as a member of São Paulo Board of Environmental Management. Mr. Canassa holds a Master’s degree in Energy Efficiency, as well as an MBA in Sustainability, Business Management and Environment.
COFFEE BREAK (2:00 – 3:00 PM)
PROGRAM 3 — Tackling Deforestation and Transforming Cattle Production in Brazil
Produced by the Nature Conservancy Brazil, IDH – The Sustainable Trade Initiative & the Tropical Forest Alliance
3:00 PM — Keynote Address (in Portuguese with English translation provided)
- Helder Barbalho, Governor of Pará, Brazil
3:15 PM — Panel Discussion (in Portuguese with English translation provided)
- Caio Penido, President, Mato Gross Meat Institute (IMAC)
- Gabriel Azevedo, Chief Strategy Officer, IDB Invest
- Maria Neto, Executive Director, Climate and Society Institute (ICS)
- Mauro Lúcio Costa, Cattle Rancher
- Peng Ren, Program Manager, Overseas Investment, Trade and the Environment Program, Global Environmental Institute (GEI)
Additional speakers to be announced soon