Famato System participates in the 1st Sustainable Livestock Workshop in Campo Grande

Photo: Ascom Famato

Representatives of the Famato System took part in the 1st Sustainable Livestock Workshop, held from July 17 to 18 in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul (MS). The event brought together more than 20 cattle producers and is part of the Pontes Pantaneiras initiative, which will host three more events through June 2024.

Over the two days, the meeting discussed experiences in certification, carbon credits, and biodiversity credits, aiming to develop a strategic plan to identify bottlenecks, limitations, stakeholders’ solutions, and the actions needed to consolidate the sustainability of livestock production in the Pantanal and expand it across the biome.

Representing the Famato System were Tatiane Monteiro, head of the Environmental Unit; Marcos Carvalho, Livestock Analyst; and Marcelo Nogueira, supervisor of Technical and Managerial Assistance (ATeG) at the National Rural Learning Service (Senar-MT). In addition, two rural producers supported by the Sustainable Pantaneira Farm (FPS) program were also present: Daniela Campos Preza and José Benedito de Arruda, known as Juquinha.

During the event, rural producers shared their experiences related to sustainability both in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso and in the Pantanal region of Mato Grosso do Sul. At the end of the meeting, participants presented opportunities and actions needed to strengthen and expand production, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem services.

For Daniela, participating in the event was an opportunity to confirm that livestock production in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso is already sustainable; however, further actions are still needed to enhance the value of this practice. According to her, one way to add value to sustainable products is through the implementation of livestock sustainability certification. “We are here discussing sustainable livestock production, and we understand that creating a certification seal that ensures sustainability will help increase the value of the final product,” she stated.

Cattle producer Juquinha said that the 1st Sustainable Livestock Workshop was an experience that brought many suggestions that can be applied on his farm. “This was a very rich meeting in terms of knowledge and exchange of experiences. Back on the farm, we have received various training sessions and guidance from ATeG instructors, and all of this has contributed greatly to increasing the value of my property. Today, I see that many other producers are also interested in being part of this.”

During the meeting, future actions were also defined with the goal of expanding sustainable livestock practices in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso.

This first workshop involved various governance initiatives already operating in the Pantanal focused on sustainability, such as the Sustainable Pantaneira Farm (FPS), the Brazilian Association of Sustainable Meats, the 5P Alliance, the Rural Union of Corumbá, the Pantanal Defense Society, and the Brazilian Association of Pantaneiro Cattle Breeders, among others.

Sustainable Pantaneira Farm

The FPS is a pilot project coordinated by Famato, Senar-MT, Acrimat, and Embrapa Pantanal, which consists of conducting environmental, social, and economic assessments on each of the fifteen supported rural properties.