Governor Denarium was joined for the signing ceremony by the president of the State Environmental Foundation, Ionilson Sampaio, representatives from the Instituto de Pesquisa Ambiental da Amazonia (IPAM), and delegates from the Governors’ Climate and Forests (GCF) Task Force.
One of the most innovative programs launched was the state’s low carbon agriculture strategy, known as the ‘ABC Plan’. The plan seeks to build off Brazil’s national ABC Plan by promoting agricultural development which expands farmer incomes while reducing emissions from land-use within the state. Roraima is the first State in Brazil to launch a state-level program in support of federal efforts and has set ambitious goals for the state to reach by 2030. “We worked on structuring this plan through a multi-institutional committee with the participation of society and related agencies,” explained the head of the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply, Emerson Baú.
Denarium stressed that, in addition to preserving the environment, the ABC Plan also enables sustainable development.
“With this plan we will increase productivity without forgetting preservation. We will guide producers on how to develop without forgetting sustainability. This will facilitate access to rural credit lines with lower rates, providing more conditions to increase productivity.” – Governor Antônio Denarium
According to Ionilson Sampaio, the state’s Economic-Environmental Policy will enhance incomes across the state while demonstrating that Roraima is a model of sustainable production. “The low emissions policy and the plan are some of the guidelines of the Government of Roraima for new global and local economic perspectives, based on the needs of mitigation and adaptation to climate change, environmental conservation, and respect for human rights. They are part of a governmental development strategy and a commitment to society and to the planet,” highlighted the president.
In addition to the ABC Plan, the decree also formally launched the State System of Environmental Services and Reduction of Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation, Conservation, Sustainable Forest Management, Maintenance and Increase of Forest Carbon Stocks ( REDD +) in the State of Roraima.
According to Flavia Alves, GCF Task Force delegate, Roraima’s participation in the GCF Task Force was crucial for the state to receive support to elaborate the plans established by the decree, including the State REDD+ system. The project was funded through the Window A of the Pledge from the Government of Norway to the GCF Task Force with support from the United Nations Development Programme and IPAM
How the ABC plan works
The ABC plan consists of seven programs valuing production in harmony with environmental preservation:
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Recovery of degraded pastures
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Expansion of areas with Crop-Livestock-Forest Integration and Agroforestry Systems
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Improvement, readjustment and expansion of areas with no-till system
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Use of biological nitrogen fixation in crops other than soybean
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Increase and consolidation of areas with planted forests
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Improved treatment and disposal of animal waste
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Adaptation to climate change
“This gives the producer peace of mind that they are doing the right thing and adds value to the income. In addition, producing in preserved areas allows them to reach several markets around the world that only buy from producers committed to sustainable development,” highlighted Baú.
