23 January 2023

2 minute read

By: Global Ag Media

Gilberto Tomazoni, Global CEO of JBS, the world's largest food company, participated this Wednesday January 18th, in the panel 'Why Lands Matter', at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Alongside representatives of the government, the nonprofit sector and financial institutions, Tomazoni argued that the way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is to offer technical and financial support to rural producers, particularly to the smaller producers.

"We need to focus on supporting farmers, with knowledge sharing and access to credit to make the transition to more sustainable production. This way, they will be able to produce more, be more efficient, while applying existing technology," said Tomazoni during the panel.

The panel also included Jennifer Morris, CEO of The Nature Conservancy, Stefaan Decraene, executive chairman of the Rabobank Group, Maria Susana Muhamad, minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia, and Jack Hurd, executive director of the Tropical Forest Alliance. The discussion was led by Jamie Heller, business editor of The Wall Street Journal.

Tomazoni highlighted that in Brazil, there are existing solutions to promote more efficient and sustainable agriculture and livestock production, such as the recovery of degraded pastures. 

"In a single area, you can increase food production by 10 times and still capture more carbon from the atmosphere. Imagine how this could benefit a producer's income," said Tomazoni.

In addition to taking these production methods to the farmers, it is necessary to offer financial credit so that they can put them into practice: "Today, less than 2% of the funds dedicated to tackling climate change go to this sector of the population. We urgently need to change this." Tomazoni also highlighted the importance of segmenting the producers to offer support and services according to their needs.

As part of the solution for better land use, Tomazoni presented the example of the JBS Fund for the Amazon, which focuses on providing technical and financial support to local projects that seek the sustainable development of the Amazon. For the JBS executive, it is necessary to create a solidarity network as it is imperative that social inclusion and sustainable practices go hand in hand. This is precisely the vision of the JBS Fund, which supports initiatives that generate environmental preservation and socioeconomic growth in Amazon communities.

Finally, Tomazoni emphasised that the government, financial and production sectors, as well as the nonprofit sector, need to come together to build this climate solution, ensuring that the resources reach small producers without neglecting the food security of the growing world population under any circumstances. 

"If we work collectively to support farmers, we can produce more, reduce emissions, and protect our natural resources," he concluded.