Food security and adaptation of agri-food systems to climate change were key pillars indicated by G20 leaders in agriculture to ensure a more equal and hunger-free future for new generations. They convened in Brasília in an event promoted by Embrapa, at Serpro's headquarters, from May 15-17. The floods that recently hit the southern Brazilian state Rio Grande do Sul were underscored by all meeting participants as an example of climate-related tragedy that requires scientific action. The Brazilian delegation called for joint efforts in the medium and long term to rehabilitate arable lands and prevent future tragedies. According to Silvia Massruhá, Embrapa's president, science, technology and innovation are fundamental not only to ensure the development of sustainable agricultural practices, but also to inform public policy. The development of technologies in the field over the past five decades has allowed productivity to grow from 140% to 580%, while land expanded from just 20 to 70 million hectares. " None of this would have been possible without the support of nearly five million farmers across the country," she stated. Massruhá reminded leaders of G20 and guest countries that the crisis in Rio Grande do Sul is not an isolated event. Several other extreme events have been taking place in other countries, which is as a warning for global science. "Science has improved the accuracy of risk models and assessments, which eloquently resonate the gravity of our times and future times among us researchers. We need to adapt, reinvent ourselves and prepare for a prolonged period of intense enthropy that will challenge the limits of all the foundations of our existential equilibrium," she added. Photo by: Tiago Sousa Joint efforts to tackle climate change and increase food security According to the president, the exchange of experiences among G20 countries will be fundamental to face the profound challenges posed by climate change and food insecurity. "Those are our main priorities as part of the G20 agricultural research systems. It is time to bring our efforts closer, share experiences, move forward, strengthen communications with civil society, and provide decision-makers with substantial information, in order to minimize the risks and costs of tackling such challenges. Agriculture is highly vulnerable to climate change and its ongoing impacts, which are likely to worsen in the coming years. "Embrapa and Brazil encourage the use of sustainable technologies and best practices, such as no-till farming, integrated crop, livestock and forestry systems (ICLFS), the use of bioinputs, new digital technologies, and the joint development of sustainability indicators, among others. Inter-country collaboration is crutial to providing scientific solutions for a fairer world and a more sustainable planet. Food security equals peace; it equals lives," she concluded. According to Julio Ramos, a member of the G20 agriculture working group representing the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, the sector accounts for a quarter of the GDP and 20% of formal job posts in the country. “Through this meeting, Brazil extends an invitation to join efforts to build a fairer world,” he asserted. Deforestation halved in the Amazon region The Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Family Farming (MDA, from the acronym in Portuguese) Fernanda Machiaveli remarked that today Brazil is one of the world's leaders in clean energy. For her, the country's first major challenge is increasing productivity without expanding agricultural areas. In that sense, she celebrated the 51% reduction in deforestation in the Amazon. "We need to unite efforts to develop sustainable technologies to generate income and employment for the thirty million people living in the Amazon Rainforest today," Machiaveli stated. The second challenge is to ensure that smallholders, indigenous peoples, agrarian reform settlers, and traditional communities have access to technological development. “Today 24 million individuals who constitute those groups are experiencing hunger,” she informed. Machiaveli stressed the importance of Embrapa for the sustainability of agriculture and the need for concerted efforts between the corporation and MDA to define a set of measures to rehabilitate agriculture in Rio Grande do Sul. Carlos Augustin, who represented the Minister of Agriculture Carlos Favaro in the event, pointed out that Brazil has 70 million hectares of productive land and 160 million hectares of degraded pastures today. Wellington Rocha, who represented the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture André de Paula, underscored the importance for the development of sustainable aquaculture within Brazil's 740 conservation units along 8,500 kilometers of coastline. “Science is the country's powerful voice for social inclusion, especially to draw the young to the fields,” Rocha concluded. More information about the event is available here.