“Soy expansion in the Pantanal is a threat to the planet,” says Brazilian NGO

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Pantanal, the largest contiguous floodplain on Earth, faces another threat. Following the drastic effects of fires in 2020 and 2021, the biotope and its rich biodiversity in Mato Grosso do Sul state could suffer irreversible environmental damage if the natural areas of the plain are converted into large-scale soy plantations.

The warning is issued by the SOS Pantanal Institute. To stop the advance of soybeans, environmentalists protecting the Pantanal launched an awareness campaign with civil society and government agencies and an online petition to collect signatures supporting the cause.

The SOS Pantanal Institute accounts for almost 3 thousand hectares occupied by soybeans within the Pantanal plain of Mato Grosso do Sul state in the municipalities of Coxim, Miranda, and Aquidauana.

The institute believes expanding plantations in the coming years could seriously affect the balance of the environment and traditional populations. Investments in infrastructure such as roads and dams in the plain will favor the production and runoff of soybeans soon.

The territory of Mato Grosso do Sul covers 35.7 million hectares. In 2021/2022, 3.7 million hectares were used for soybean cultivation (11% of the state).

However, SOS Pantanal points out that the state maintains 8 million hectares of degraded land that could be used for soybean cultivation without endangering Pantanal’s biodiversity.

Gustavo de Carvalho Figueiroa, biologist and director of communications and engagement for the SOS Pantanal Institute, says there is a consensus among rural leaders and institutions working to protect the ecosystem that advances the soybeans is threatening the biotope.

“The Pantanal cannot tolerate this type of cultivation. It is dedicated to cattle ranching, which has been established in the region for more than 200 years. Well-managed cattle production balances the Pantanal. This is not the case with soy, as it requires clearing large areas and using pesticides to enable large-scale production.

The biologist points out that large-scale crop cultivation will affect activities that depend on the Pantanal’s biodiversity and are considered essential in the region, such as ecotourism.

“Vast areas have to be deforested to grow soybeans. Soy radically changes the landscape. Growing crops will reduce the diversity of local fauna and automatically affect tourism, which is one of the Biome’s most important economic activities. Properly conducted tourism is beneficial for the conservation of biodiversity in the Pantanal and is a significant source of income for the region.”

The expert points out that ecotourism respects each Biome’s environmental practices and carrying capacity.

“It is a segment that offers a panorama of environmental education and contributes to conservation. During the fires that devastated the Pantanal in recent years, many lodges that operate ecotourism were the base for firefighters and supported our actions. The preserved Pantanal is the livelihood of tourism. If soybean cultivation penetrates the Pantanal, it will negatively impact the areas where the sector is currently developing activities.”

Gustavo cites the municipality of Bonito (MS) and its surroundings, which border the Pantanal (MS). He points out that the region’s main rivers are threatened by the encroachment of soybean cultivation into wetlands, areas considered particularly vulnerable to change, and that some producers are poorly applying measures such as contour lines.

“The state’s inertia in managing these crops has allowed them to progress unchecked in environmentally sensitive areas, at a huge cost to the region,” the biologist points out.

“Given this scenario, now is the time to direct and guide efforts on this legislation when few acres of soybeans are left in the Plains. We have no time to lose,” SOS Pantanal President Alexandre Bossi underlines the urgency of making everyone – civil society, public opinion, environmentalists, and the political class in Mato Grosso do Sul – aware of the risks that extensive soybean cultivation can bring.

Bossi points out that the neighboring state of Mato Grosso already has a law preventing the cultivation of soybeans in the plains of the Biome. “Mato Grosso do Sul should follow the same path. We have come to warn about the future of the plains and to address future problems and possible solutions, including economic ones.”

Gustavo warns that in the Pantanal, a large floodplain, the damage caused by large-scale agricultural production is exacerbated by the use of molecules with biocidal effects (insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, and nematicides) to control pests, diseases, and invasive plants.

These products contain pollutants such as heavy metals, surfactants, emulsifiers, and others that, when they come into contact with the soil, do not form a physical barrier that prevents them from contaminating the entire habitat.

SOS Pantanal’s alarm campaign is supported by various organizations working to preserve the environment – such as Ampara Silvestre, Ecoa, Onçafari, Instituto Arara-Azul, Projeto Onças do Rio Negro, SOS Mata Atlântica, and WWF Brasil – and has met with great response and acceptance from the Pantanal’s inhabitants, Gustavo Figueiroa said.

“The people of the Pantanal understand that nature speaks louder in this biotope and that it must be respected,” says the biologist, pointing out that the Pantanal is home to at least 4,700 species, including 3,500 plants, 650 birds, 124 mammals, 80 reptiles, 60 amphibians, and 260 freshwater fish – some of which are threatened with extinction. “We cannot allow this balance to be upset by a highly destructive activity such as the large-scale cultivation of soybeans.

With this in mind, Bossi said, SOS Pantanal is reaffirming its commitment to sustainable practices in the region through this campaign.

“Our main concern has always been economic development combined with environmental protection. For us, sustainable agricultural production, combined with the development of ecotourism, is the way to achieve this goal. For this very reason, we emphasize that the Pantanal is not a place for soybeans,” he concludes.

ABOUT THE SOS PANTANAL INSTITUTE

Founded in 2009, the SOS Pantanal Institute is a non-profit institution that promotes the conservation and sustainable development of the Pantanal biome through knowledge management and the dissemination of information about the ecosystem to governments, opinion leaders, communities, farmers, and small landowners in the region, as well as the general population.

Its mission is also to provide ongoing advocacy for biodiversity conservation and natural resources.

For more information, visit: https://www.sospantanal.org.br