Educampo promotes sustainability, aligning small producers with global best practices
- Consorcio Cerrado das Águas
- Oct 22, 2025
- 7 min read
Sustainable agribusiness and COP30: practices and results
Source: SEBRAE
The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) will take place in Belém, capital of Pará, putting Brazilian agribusiness in the spotlight of the global debate on sustainability. More than just hosting the event, the country is considered a leader in sustainable agricultural practices. An example of this can be found in a study by McKinsey & Company, which showed that 61% of Brazilian producers use products, processes, or technologies of biological origin (animal, plant, or microbial) in pest management, a technique that contributes to reducing the use of chemical pesticides. The survey involved 4,500 producers from nine countries, was released in 2024, and placed Brazil in a position superior to that of the European Union and the United States, where the adoption of biological inputs is lower. In addition, 63% of Brazilian producers said they use biofertilizers, which are natural organic fertilizers made from materials such as manure and plant residues. In addition to environmental practices, numerous other sustainable actions are applied by Brazilian rural producers in the area of governance.
The focus of COP30 is directly related to initiatives such as Educampo, a platform developed by Sebrae Minas that has promoted agribusiness in Minas Gerais through rural business management and the encouragement of innovative and responsible agricultural practices. Considering that investing in methods that minimize environmental impacts is a mandatory agenda for businesses of all sizes, Educampo acts as a protagonist so that small producers supplying food and beverage companies, such as Nestlé and Danone, align themselves with best practices. Through the exchange of experiences, dissemination of technologies, and collective learning, the program creates conditions for rural producers and technicians to build and apply innovative, responsible, and transparent solutions.
It is worth highlighting that, in addition to committing to the conservation of the planet and the mitigation of climate change, sustainable actions can positively impact the efficiency of farms. Increased productivity, for example, is a direct reflection of the adoption of management focused on balanced nutrition, environmental comfort, and animal welfare, as explained by Sebrae Minas analyst Expedito Netto. “These are advances that result, for example, in a reduction in enteric methane emissions per liter of milk produced, an important indicator of the environmental impact of livestock farming.”
Thorough analysis
In practice, Educampo broadens the rural producer's vision by connecting them to other producers and enabling their access to sustainable practices. This is explained by producer Alexandre Renato Ribeiro, from Ibiá, in the Triângulo Mineiro region, a milk supplier to Nestlé for over 20 years. “The most important aspect of Educampo, without a doubt, is benchmarking. The system provides a comparative parameter that helps us continuously improve cost management and quality, in addition to enabling the adoption of solutions aligned with environmental issues,” he states. Owner of Fazenda Campo Redondo, he keeps a close eye on the other Nestlé supplier properties – currently around 1,200. “If I see one that is in the top 1, I analyze the management data to identify what I can apply to my farm and work with the team to do so. The interesting thing is that we can compare and also visit other businesses to see firsthand what they are doing,” he says.
Among the solutions already implemented, Alexandre mentions a composting shed, photovoltaic energy, a manure lagoon, a solids separator, selective waste collection, among others. There are also measures aimed at the comfort and well-being of the animals, such as cooling the cows four times a day. And other initiatives are underway, such as those directed towards regenerative agriculture, in addition to specific investments in animal improvement.
It is no coincidence that Alexandre's farm is among the five in Brazil selected by Nestlé for Net Zero, a project that aims to halve carbon emissions by 2030.
Measuring to improve
Another giant in the food and beverage sector, Danone obtained the B Corp seal in 2021, with the help of Educampo. The certification attests that the company meets high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and responsibility.
Danone Brazil's C&P Milk Quality Specialist, Jemmerson Silva, explains that the carbon inventory developed through the program was crucial for certification. With the data, it was possible to map the main sources of emissions on the supplying dairy farms: productivity (43.2%), soy consumption (18.1%), proportion of lactating cows (13.9%), and dry matter intake (7.8%). From then on, measures were taken to improve herd management, such as adjustments to animal diets, adoption of nutritional strategies, and training for producers. In this way, from 2020 to 2024, Danone's partner producers improved their key indicators.
Jemmerson Silva, Milk Quality Specialist at Danone Brazil, explains that the carbon inventory prepared through the program was decisive for certification. With the data, it was possible to map the main sources of emissions on the supplying dairy farms: productivity (43.2%), soy consumption (18.1%), proportion of lactating cows (13.9%), and dry matter consumption (7.8%). From then on, measures were taken to improve herd management, such as adjustments to animal diets, the adoption of nutritional strategies, and training for producers. As a result, from 2020 to 2024, Danone's partner producers improved their key indicators.
Jemmerson points out that the work of Sebrae Minas has been essential in strengthening the company's supply chain. In addition to the exchange of knowledge, he highlights the relevance of the technical missions promoted and continuous supervision, which ensure close and personalized monitoring of each property.
Educampo Danone currently has about 120 producers involved. Dozens of lectures and workshops have already been held, in addition to technical visits to reference farms. Another focus of the work is the Animal Welfare and Cool Farm Tool consultancies, which assist properties with a personalized diagnosis of greenhouse gas emissions.
In addition, in October 2024, producers visited the Buenos Aires region in Argentina for a five-day
immersion in high-performance farms. Sebrae Minas analyst Adaiby Gonçalves points out that the visits inspired the modernization of dairy management in Brazil. “Properties there have a strong dairy tradition, and our goal was to provide producers with a broader view of quality, sustainability, and production efficiency,” she says.
Advanced Practices
In the south of the state, one of Danone's milk suppliers has stood out for its advanced sustainable practices. Elcio Mendes Vilanova e Silva says that since becoming the owner of Fazenda Sãao Francisco, in Carmo de Minas, reducing carbon emissions has been one of his goals. The use of solar panels, recycling of agricultural waste, compost barns—covered spaces with organic bedding, such as sawdust or hay, for cows to rest—and the application of organic fertilizer to corn crops are examples of the practices adopted. Elcio says that Educampo helps him update economic, financial, and zootechnical data, improve KPI targets, and train employees. He also often uses benchmark data as a reference. “We have well-defined actions to deliver by the end of 2026 and have already improved our ESG, CCS, solids, production scale, and cost ratings. All with the support of Educampo. The result is that, from 2022 to 2024, carbon emissions fell by 28%.”
Union for sustainable practices in agriculture.
Ensuring the continuity and sustainability of coffee production in the Cerrado Mineiro region was the initial objective of forming the Cerrado das Águas Consortium (CCA). After studies indicated that water scarcity could jeopardize local production, private companies, government entities, and civil society joined forces to promote environmental restoration and the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices.
The consortium promotes the appropriate and sustainable use of land while seeking to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Among other initiatives, there is the Conscious Producer Investment Program (PIPC). Sebrae Minas invested in this program, which guides and encourages producers in implementing strategies for the provision of ecosystem services. As a result, the CCA has already accounted for the conservation of 202 hectares of native vegetation and the transition of 4,000 hectares of agricultural areas to regenerative agriculture practices.
Another investment, carried out in partnership with public authorities and local entities, has already exceeded R$ 1.6 million dedicated to an area of 1,503,447 hectares. This is the Restore Program, which, since 2019, has been conducting in-depth studies and diagnoses of river basins in nine municipalities. Sebrae Minas also supports the Riverbed Study, which proposes the creation of a vital ecological corridor to connect coffee farms and promote environmental connectivity and biodiversity.
According to the Consortium's president, Marcelo Urtado, a recent study evaluated 2,000 properties in more than 55 municipalities to identify priority areas for restoration and the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices. “Today, the consortium doesn't only work with coffee. We are also encouraging producers of other crops. It's necessary to have a systemic and holistic vision to identify all areas of productive potential in the region and dedicate ourselves to what requires the most attention in terms of conservation,” he states.
World's first low-carbon coffee cooperative
To contribute to the advancement of carbon neutrality, Sebrae Minas has been working with small rural businesses in the Cerrado Mineiro region, which holds the largest certified area for regenerative agriculture in the world: 45,000 hectares. With 55 coffee-producing municipalities, the region is recognized for the quality, quantity, and consistency of its supply to national and international markets.
And it is possible to combine high productivity with a lower environmental impact, as shown by the example of the Monte Carmelo Cerrado Coffee Growers Cooperative (MonteCCer). The organization received support from Sebrae Minas and the Institute for Forest and Agricultural Management and Certification (Imaflora) to become the world's first low-carbon coffee cooperative. A sustainability inventory, initiated in 2018, revealed that the associated farms absorb more carbon than they emit – emissions reach only 3.80 tons of CO₂ per hectare per year, 65% below the world average.
“The example of MontCCer confirms that agricultural production can be economically viable and environmentally responsible,” says Naiara Marra, an analyst at Sebrae Minas.
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