A leading solar and renewable energy company is the first to join the Investors for the Future project, an initiative in favor of sustainable agriculture that acts for the availability of resources, thinking about today and tomorrow.
The year 2024 began with reinforcement for the actions of the Cerrado Waters Consortium (CCA). Órigo Energia, a pioneering renewable energy company in Brazil, was the first to join the initiative launched by the collaborative platform "Investors for the Future". Launched in 2023, the project aims to connect the community and companies in actions to raise awareness and practices for conservation in the Cerrado biome in the Cerrado Mineiro region. By joining the project, people and/or companies invest in climate-smart and regenerative agriculture actions and activities aimed at climate resilience and mitigating the effects of global warming.
With common goals, Órigo Energia, a company that has more than 100 solar farms spread across Minas Gerais, Pernambuco, Ceará, Mato Grosso do Sul, the Federal District and São Paulo, capturing sunlight and transforming it into electricity in a sustainable way, signed a partnership with the CCA and carried out their first action in January. Together, one of the properties that is part of the PIPC - Conscious Producer Investment Program - restored an area of 0.5 hectares by planting 500 native seedlings. The area, located in the municipality of Patrocínio, suffered from the effects of the frost that occurred in 2021 and is now receiving an investment to increase its resistance to the effects of the climate, while at the same time helping to increase biodiversity, contributing to a sustainable future.
"The area chosen is on the banks of one of the main streams that make up the Feio stream sub-basin, in Patrocínio/MG. It is a sub-basin that is the source of water supply for the municipality and which needs sustainable actions both in the productive area and in the areas of native vegetation. We understand that it is through joint actions, both by producers and with the support of the public and private sectors, that we can achieve effective results in making productive landscapes sustainable, and Órigo's support is being given in this regard. Restoring native vegetation is a long-term process, but it needs to start today. During implementation, we prepared the soil and controlled invasive species, which compete with the native species regenerating on the site and end up damaging the development of the seedlings. In addition, a consortium of native species was planted to increase the density of the vegetation and the site was fenced off so that cattle don't trample it," explains Mariana Cristina, biologist and connected landscapes analyst at the Cerrado das Águas Consortium.
Investments are made in two ways: financially or in goods and services, and joining the initiative is done through the CCA website. On the platform, the person or company chooses how they can or want to invest to guarantee the availability of natural resources in the future, be it supporting sustainable agriculture to mitigate climate change or supporting the restoration of native Cerrado vegetation to protect endangered species; neutralizing the carbon footprint and promoting food security and guaranteeing the availability of water and this is what motivated Órigo Energia to become an investor in the "Guardians of the Cerrado" category.
"Órigo remains steadfast in its commitment to the global sustainability agenda and the pursuit of sustainable development. This partnership with the Cerrado Waters Consortium (CCA), an initiative based on sustainable innovation, demonstrates how committed we are to working in line with other companies and associations that are equally committed to guaranteeing a future that is environmentally fair and conducive to human survival. Our goal, through Órigo's business model, is to involve more and more entities that develop their activities with the responsible use of sustainable resources and the promotion of efficient production chains," says Surya Mendonça, CEO of Órigo Energia.
Contributing to the CCA's progress
As a collaborative platform, the Consortium has 12 coffee-growing companies that subsidize the strategies and provide support for the initiatives to move forward, being associate members, so with the project, the CCA receives reinforcement to continue its Climate Smart and regenerative agriculture initiatives.
"We are living in a state of emergency when it comes to the climate. This is a common problem and questions of exclusivity or being recognized as the 'owner' of a solution can lead to a loss of focus. New paradigms are needed in decision-making when it comes to restoring ecosystem services and the search should focus on initiatives that can generate the greatest environmental impact. We are very happy to welcome Órigo as a partner, because collective actions generate fast, effective results on a planetary scale," says Fabiane Sebaio, biologist and executive secretary of the Cerrado das Águas Consortium.
To tackle a problem that is collective, you also have to act collectively
Through joint efforts, the CCA has collected figures showing that it is possible to build sustainable productive landscapes, positively impacting the Cerrado. The data for 2023 adds up to 500 hectares of Climate Smart Agriculture implemented; 48,000 trees planted; 130 hectares of climate adaptation plans in 2022; 150 hectares of area in the process of restoration and 367,334 tons of carbon sequestration potential.
About the CCA
Created in 2015 in Patrocínio - MG, the Cerrado das Águas Consortium aims to join forces to implement strategies that guarantee the provision of ecosystem services in order to achieve a productive system that is resilient to climate change.
The initiative has the following companies as associate members: Nescafé, Expocaccer, Nespresso, Lavazza, Cooxupé, CofCo, Volcafé, Stockler, Daterra, Federação dos Cafeicultores do Cerrado, CerVivo and Starbucks. In addition, the platform has key partners such as Serra do Salitre City Hall and Coromandel City Hall.
Find out more at: http://cerradodasaguas.org.br
About Órigo Energia
Órigo Energia, a leading company in distributed generation, is one of the pioneers in the sector in Brazil, operating since 2010. Órigo aims to massify and democratize renewable energy in the country and actively participates in the main sector discussions and encourages measures that can make renewable energy a simple and accessible alternative for all Brazilians. In 2019, Órigo obtained international certification as a B Corporation for its commitment to social and environmental impact through its business model. Its responsible actions have also earned it the Eco Award from AmCham for two consecutive years and, in 2023, it was considered one of the most promising companies on the market according to Distrito's sector report. Also in 2023, it received the Customer Experience recognition, the NPS Award, as the best rated company in the distributed energy generation sector in Brazil. Órigo's important shareholders include: I Squared Capital, Augment Infrastructure, IFU, TPG ART- Circularis Partners, BlaO - Blue like an Orange Sustainable Capital, MOV Investimentos and Mitsui.
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Information for the press
CCA Communications Department
Polliana Dias (34) 9.98818-7718 / pollianadiasf@gmail.com
Ideal PR (www.ideal.pr)
Juliete Neves (71) 9.9271-7248 / juliete.neves@ideal.pr
Rodrigo Fonseca: (11) 9.4846-5003 / rodrigo.fonseca@ideal.pr
Rafael Borges: (11) 9.7461-2757 / rafael.borges@ideal.pr