Solidaridad South America delivers innovative solutions to increase production in an efficient and resilient way that fosters inclusive economic development and protects conservation areas.
South America
Region South America
Solidaridad South America operates in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. Low population density and abundance of crop land, freshwater, minerals and fisheries allow South America to provide for its own population and export substantial surpluses to feed another billion.
Developments
Increasing demand from Asia has fuelled a growth in export volumes that is partially compensating for the drop in key commodities. China is emerging as a leading trading and investment partner in the region which strengthens the need for international sustainable supply chains initiatives.
Big data and analytics are playing an increasing role in farm and industry management and the corporate sector. Large traders and multinationals continue to take decisive steps towards sourcing sustainable products. This trend reinforces opportunities to integrate smallholders into sustainable supply chains through innovative solutions like digital technologies and climate-smart agriculture (CSA) models.
All of the South American countries in which Solidaridad works have signed the Paris Climate Agreement, with the exception of Ecuador. This provides a favourable framework to work on climate change issues in the region, especially against the risk of a deforestation re-bound in the Brazilian and Peruvian Amazon.
Challenges
Solidaridad is committed to addressing major weaknesses in the value chains currently preventing the region and its producers from reaching their full potential in terms of efficiency, competitiveness, inclusiveness and climate mitigation. Addressing these issues will contribute to more sustainable and inclusive production and markets.
Increased efficiency in natural resources management and value chain competitiveness in existing agricultural land is critically important. Solidaridad needs to assist farmers in enhance productivity with better climate resilience to reduce agricultural losses and the agricultural environmental footprint. In order to do that, there needs to be decent work places and livelihoods for landless and vulnerable groups to reduce the outflow of rural workers.
Finally, production in compliance with environmental and labour regulatory frameworks can be stepping stone towards sustainability.
Achievements
Solidaridad has helped to ensure an increase of soy produced under responsible standards in Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. As a result, 2.7 million tonnes of RTRS certified soy reached the markets and leveraged about 5 million US dollars in RTRS premiums.
The Sustainable Trade Platform (STP) worked on common sustainability challenges in Colombia’s palm oil, banana, coffee and flowers.Today, the STP reaches almost 300,000 producers and workers and covers 439,650 hectares. It also has 22 public and private alliances across all sectors. In 2016, the STP added sugarcane as a new commodity for the platform.
Solidaridad has established a proven extension model for climate resilient highlands coffee production. In Colombia, this resulted in tonnes of captured CO2 captured, renewed in agroforestry systems and interventions in cultivated hectares.
In addition, a proven business model for tea small farmers associations benefited almost 2,000 family farmers and workers and resulted in tea certified under UTZ and Rain Forest Alliance standards.
Track record South America through the years
Various triggers encourage farmers to improve their practice: scarcity of labour, a growing preference by buyers for risk-free, certified and legally compliant suppliers, stronger forestry regulation, and the need to create sustainable landscapes. Each year, Solidaridad is tackling these issues and making agriculture sustainable through legal compliance.
Join us Integrated market solutions
We work on market-driven solutions with producers, traders, service providers and local governments to set conditions for sustainable production. Contact us to learn more.
Partner-
Contact Information
Gonzalo la Cruz
Managing Director, Solidaridad South America
Av. Roosevelt 5866 Miraflores, Lima 18 - Peru
- Email me
- +51 (1) 445 4242 or +51 999 011 901 For our website in Spanish please go to:
- https://www.solidaridadsouthamerica.org/es