Global agribusiness giant Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) has teamed up with renewable fuels company Global Clean Energy Holdings and German chemical firm Bayer to promote camelina cultivation in Latin America.
Part of Argentina Bayer’s PRO Carbono Program, the collaboration was in line with the participants’ efforts to promote decarbonisation in the supply chain and, ultimately, more efficient and sustainable agricultural production, the companies said on 2 May.
An ‘intermediate crop’ planted between main crops in Argentina during winter, camelina helps to preserve soil health, particularly between summer crops of soyabeans and corn. Its cultivation has been promoted in the South American country as part of a collaboration between LDC and Global Clean Energy since 2023.
“This collaboration is an important step toward more sustainable agricultural production in Argentina and is in line with LDC’s collaborative approach to sustainable business, taking into account the needs and challenges of all value chain participants – particularly producers,” LDC Group chief operating officer and head of Latin America Juan José Blanchard said.
A leading camelina producer, Global Clean Energy’s portfolio includes 20 camelina varieties, for both spring and winter planting. The company is currently developing new traits (including herbicide tolerance) to introduce camelina cultivation across a range of geographies and crop rotations.
Through its Camelina Company brand, Global Clean Energy has partnered with LDC to advance camelina production in South America.
Bayer’s PRO Carbono Program is aimed at helping producers to adopt sustainable agronomic practices that increase productivity, reduce emissions and capture more carbon from the soil, in particular direct sowing, increased crop rotation and cover crop incorporation to keep soils covered for most of the year.
