“One of our priorities is to support farmers in adopting practices that restore soil health, increase biodiversity, and optimize the use of natural resources…”
Leticia Kawanami is Cargill’s director of sustainability in Latin America. She holds a degree in economics from the University of São Paulo, an MBA from HEC Paris, and a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
AgriBrasilis – Why is regenerative agriculture gaining attention?
Leticia Kawanami – Regenerative agriculture is a priority for Cargill because it represents the path to a more sustainable, resilient, and economically viable production model. One of our priorities is to support farmers in adopting practices that restore soil health, increase biodiversity, and optimize the use of natural resources, directly contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation. It has become a key component, showing how farmers have been engaging in best practices. To promote it, Cargill has invested in its own programs, such as ReSolu, and has been supporting industry initiatives, including Regenera Cerrado. Everyone wins with the advancement of regenerative agriculture in Brazil.
AgriBrasilis – How do cover crops contribute to carbon sequestration?
Leticia Kawanami – Cover crops contribute to carbon sequestration mainly through photosynthesis, in which they capture carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and incorporate it into their biomass, both above ground and in their roots. When these plants die and decompose, the organic matter formed is deposited in the soil, increasing its carbon stock and improving its physical, chemical, and biological attributes. In addition, cover crops help protect the soil from erosion, maintain moisture, and create favorable conditions for microbial activity, allowing carbon to be retained in the soil for longer.
AgriBrasilis – According to Cargill, regenerative systems can produce up to 23% more than conventional ones. Why?
Leticia Kawanami – This difference is based on data obtained when comparing the productivity recorded on soybean farms in Rio Verde, in the State of Goiás, monitored by the Regenera Cerrado program, with the state average recorded in the 2023/2024 harvest. On these properties, plots using regenerative agriculture achieved an average of 69 sacks per hectare, while the average in Goiás, during a period marked by severe drought, was 56 sacks per hectare. This comparison reinforces the role of this model in increasing the climate resilience of production systems based analyses conducted by a team of 35 academic researchers—a project that lasted three years and involved national research institutions, such as Embrapa (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation) and several federal universities.