The municipality of Lucas do Rio Verde, whose 200 mil hectares of soy fields respond for 1% of the Brazilian grain production, brought together farmers, industries and non-government organizations to evaluate and solve environmental and labour problems of the local rural properties. In one year period, the group analysed the vegetation of 670 farms. One of the main conclusions of this assessment was that over 10% of the vegetal coverage that should have been preserved had been removed – and should be recovered to attend the law.
The initiative also produced a map of the soil use in the municipality and began to recuperate the riparian forests that were degraded.

This project is coordinated by the City of Lucas do Rio Verde and by the non-profit The Nature Conservancy, which is a member of RTRS. It is also supported by Syngenta, Fiagril, Sadia, Instituto Sadia de Sustentabilidade, Lucas do Rio Verde Rural Trade Union, Fundaçäo Rio Verde, the local prosecutor and the Environmental Secretary of Mato Grosso state. One of its main challenges was, precisely, establishing a common agenda that might unite producers, research institutions, different government levels and civil society, in order to test development models that might be compatible with the environmental conservation. The massive involvement of all this segments of society explains the quick achievement of the initiative.
The second phase of this project, that should last two years, will identify the financial mechanisms and sources that might sponsor the adoption of low impact technologies and the promotion of the social and environmental corrections required. Another goal of this phase is to reduce the passives of 600 properties, with the salvage of degraded areas.
In the future, the promoters of this initiative hope to offer guarantees that the products originated in the municipality follow strictly their legal obligations, as demanded by the consumer markets.

To obtain more information, contact Marli Santos, The Nature Conservancy Marketing and Private Lands officer (msantos@tnc.org).