Today, 12/05, on World Soil Day, we celebrate the importance of soil for life on our planet. Soil is the foundation that supports biodiversity, food production, and ecosystem health, being essential for the well-being of all forms of life. Natura, recognizing this vital role, has been committed to promoting agricultural practices that respect and preserve soil quality. One of these initiatives is the Dende Agroforestry System (SAF Dendê), which aims to expand the cultivation of palm oil in the Northern region of Brazil in a responsible and sustainable manner.
Recent research on the impacts of the SAF Dendê on soil carbon stocks, conducted by Natura in partnership with Embrapa and Camta (Mixed Agricultural Cooperative of Tomé-Açu), indicated that these systems have a superior capacity to store carbon compared to monoculture palm oil and even with regenerating forests in Eastern Amazon. In a study conducted in an organic SAF Dendê that is 11 years old, it was observed that the soil carbon stock was significantly higher than in the other evaluated systems, demonstrating the positive impact of species diversity and the incorporation of organic matter, such as periodic pruning of cover crops and organic fertilization.
These results highlight the role of SAFs as an effective strategy to increase carbon sequestration in the soil, directly contributing to mitigating climate change. The cultivation of palm oil in organic and diverse agroforestry systems not only has a greater potential for carbon accumulation in the soil but also offers a more sustainable solution for palm oil production.
