Pixabay
Pixabay

Global agribusiness giant Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) has launched a regenerative agriculture programme in Argentina.

The initiative, involving other companies and organisations, was aimed at bringing together agricultural stakeholders with a common goal to help reduce carbon emissions, conserve natural eco-systems and resources, and boost climate resilience in farming communities, while continuing to meet growing demand for sustainably produced goods, the company said on 9 August.

“To address the increasingly urgent need for agricultural systems to adapt to climate-related challenges affecting soils, yields and consequently profitability, LDC has a strategic role to play, due to its proximity to farmers, in driving the adoption of practices that can help produce agricultural goods more sustainably,” LDC global chief operating officer and head of Latin America Juan José Blanchard said.

Focusing on soyabeans, corn and camelina crops, LDC said the programme aimed to cover 205,000ha and would involve 400 farmers in the country by 2030.

As project leader, LDC said it would coordinate programme design, enrolment of agricultural producers, the signing of specific purchase agreements and offering of risk-sharing mechanisms, as well as results reporting.

Global environmental non-profit organisation the Nature Conservancy (TNC) will provide technical support for the programme design and implementation and sustainability consultancy Peterson will also be involved in the programme design and will help support producers.

Global crop protection and seed company Syngenta will help bring producers together, helping to exchange expertise and experiences.

As a financial partner, Banco Galicia will offer producers preferential financing options on case-by-case basis and Nestlé Argentina will also be an active partner as a driver of demand for the products generated by the programme, in line with its goal to source milk and dairy ingredients from cattle fed by agricultural systems based on regenerative agriculture, with a low carbon footprint.