EN 
PT_BR Regenerative agriculture has moved beyond being just an experimental concept and is gaining traction on commercial farms in the Brazilian Cerrado. In southwestern Goiás, soybean and corn producers have begun to reconsider traditional management models after facing increased disease, loss of agronomic efficiency, and production instability in areas dependent on the intensive use of chemical inputs.
The movement takes place within the Regenera Cerrado project, an initiative that brings together rural producers, researchers, and technical institutions around the scientific validation of practices aimed at restoring soil health and building more resilient production systems.
The proposal combines agronomic indicators, soil analysis, regenerative practices, and technical monitoring in commercial production areas. Technical and scientific coordination is provided by Embrapa, with operational execution by the BioSistêmico Institute (IBS).
The change began after the production system wore down.
Farmer Cláudio Augusto Alves Leão Póvoa: “There came a point when we realized that repeating the same management practices no longer solved the problems” – Photo: Press Release
For farmer Cláudio Augusto Alves Leão Póvoa, the change in perception occurred when the conventional model stopped responding as expected in the field. “There came a point when we realized that repeating the same management practices no longer solved the problems. Diseases increased and productivity became unstable. That's when we sought new alternatives and began to rethink the entire cultivation system,” he states.
According to him, the project provided technical support for perceptions that had already been observed in practice. "The Regenera Cerrado project presented scientific answers to what we had already been noticing on a daily basis. This gives us more confidence to continue evolving in management," he reports.
The main change, according to the producer, occurred in the way he viewed the soil within the production system. “I started to see the soil as a living organism. From then on, all decisions began to consider the long-term impacts, not just the immediate result,” he emphasizes.
Soil, climate and productive stability
Regenerative agriculture encompasses practices such as the use of cover crops, crop rotation, increased organic matter, reduced soil disturbance, and biological integration of production systems. The goal is to improve the physical, chemical, and biological structure of the soil, increasing water retention capacity and reducing climate vulnerability.
Farmer Charles Peeters: “On my property, we already have a more balanced production system structure because we decided to implement more sustainable management options. However, I want to understand the reasons and know how it is possible to continue evolving with regenerative practices” – Photo: Press Release
In the Cerrado region, where prolonged periods of drought and high temperatures directly affect crop productivity, producers have begun to associate these practices with the pursuit of greater economic stability.
Farmer Charles Peeters says he decided to join the project after seeing the results achieved by other farmers in the region. “On my property, we already have a more balanced production system structure because we decided to implement more sustainable management options. However, I want to understand the reasons behind it and learn how it's possible to continue evolving with regenerative practices,” he explains.
On the property, management includes intercropping with brachiaria grass, cover crops, and increasing the input of organic matter into the soil. According to Peeters, the goal is to build a system less dependent on climatic fluctuations. "In other words, the objective is to consolidate an environment that continues to produce well, regardless of climatic conditions," he states.
Economic viability is central to the discussion.
Despite the advancement of regenerative practices, producers argue that the adoption of these technologies depends directly on their ability to maintain profitability in the field. According to them, the debate on sustainability cannot be separated from the economic viability of their properties.
Photo: Disclosure
Peeters emphasizes that regenerative agriculture needs to deliver both agronomic and financial results simultaneously. "It's worth reinforcing that sustainability also involves profitability. Therefore, it's necessary to produce well, spend better, and ensure the continuity of the business," he points out.
The search for more efficient systems comes at a time of increasing pressure on production costs, climate volatility, and a growing need to meet sustainability and traceability criteria demanded by consumer markets and global agribusiness supply chains.
Within this context, projects like Regenera Cerrado attempt to bridge the gap between science and productive reality, transforming regenerative practices into tools applicable on a large scale in the country's main agricultural regions.
How are the properties selected?
Photo: Shutterstock
The rural properties selected to participate in Regenera Cerrado are made available as field research areas by the institutions involved, functioning as true open-air laboratories.
To participate in the project, it is essential that the producer demonstrates commitment to the initiative and availability of land for the application of the methodological protocols defined by the researchers, without significantly compromising the farm's production routine.
About the Regenera Cerrado Project
Conceived by the Future Forum Institute in 2022, Regenera Cerrado aims to disseminate scientifically validated regenerative agriculture practices, offering a scalable model for soybean and corn production for Brazil and the world.
Photo: Press Release/OPR
In the second phase of work, the project continues with sponsorship from Cargill, technical and scientific coordination from Embrapa, and operational execution by the BioSistêmico Institute (IBS), in addition to partnerships with seven national institutions and eight farms located in the Rio Verde region, in southwestern Goiás.
The partner institutions are: Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), Luiz de Queiroz Higher School of Agriculture (Esalq/USP), Associated Group for Sustainable Agriculture (GAAS), Associated Research Group of Southwest Goiás (GAPES), Federal Institute of Goiás, State University of Campinas (Unicamp) and University of Brasília (UnB).
