Brazilian research shows bioinputs make agriculture more sustainable

Date:11-05-2024

Brazil can avoid up to 18 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions by replacing mineral fertilizers with bioinputs in grass crop plantations like corn and wheat. 

This was the conclusion reached by researcher Luana Nascimento of the Senai Institute of Innovation in Biosynthetics and Fibers, in a study developed in partnership with the Brazilian Association of Bioinnovation (ABBI).

Researchers mapped the Brazilian market, analyzing products, patents, and scientific articles from the last five years. They highlighted the importance of grasses in global food supply and energy production and proposed a more sustainable approach for Brazilian agriculture. 

The research indicated that around 80% of the mineral fertilizers used in Brazilian agriculture are imported, increasing production costs. Substitution with bioinputs can reduce annual nitrogen addition to the environment by seven million tons, minimizing its conversion to nitrous oxide.

Beyond environmental benefits, the alternative can result in savings of up to US$5.1 billion for the agricultural sector. The study, promoted by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), highlighted that 63% of bioinputs on the market are based on the Azospirillum brasilense bacteria, with potential for expansion into new technologies adapted to Brazil, keeping the country at the forefront of these input production.

According to Fernando Sousa, Sustainability Director at the Brazilian Association of Bioinput Industries (ABINBIO), the production of one kilogram of chemical pesticide generates 20 to 25 kilograms of CO₂, depending on the product type. In contrast, biological inputs emit 90% less, with one kiloliter producing only 3 to 5 kilograms of CO₂, per a University of California study in partnership with Marrone Bio.

"This total emissions level from chemical pesticides, if completely replaced by biological pesticides, could promote a 90% reduction in CO₂ emissions from agriculture. Annually, we use 1.4 million tons of chemical pesticides. If we calculate the emissions required to produce all these products, we arrive at approximately 20 to 24 million tons of CO₂,"  Sousa commented.

Additionally, the ABINBIO Sustainability Director cited biodiversity benefits: "Often there is some level of soil contamination, and if not used properly, these residues can be transported into food, contaminating not only animals but also humans. It is worth noting that biologicals have a different footprint—they don't leave residues in soil or food. They are quite selective, meaning they don't cause the biodiversity reduction that traditional chemical pesticides do."

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)