Sustainable agriculture is a set of agricultural practices based on innovations through which it is possible to produce healthy food respecting the land, the water and the air, as well as the health of everyone involved in the production chain, including consumers. 

Thinking about the environment has always been a concern of the agribusiness, however, nowadays it has now become a global obligation. Brazilian agribusiness has been increasingly committed to adopting practices that save resources and reduce the emission of carbon into the atmosphere, thus reducing the emission of greenhouse gases. 

Supporting the concept of sustainability is about respecting people and the environment and ensuring a promising future for new generations.

The Brazilian fruit farming sector has worked with a focus on the concept of sustainability and has adopted the process of continuous improvement of its actions in this area.

Among the main sustainability factors in fruit production we can highlight:

• Total commitment to the laws for the protection of forests and ecological reserves;
• Total commitment to Social Responsibility in fruit production and packing operations;
• Identify and reduce losses and waste in the production process;
• Adopt the integrated pest and disease management;
• Adopt new technologies in the use of water with a focus on cost effectiveness and rational use;
• Adopt innovative technologies that contribute to reducing climate change;
• Adopt the Circular Economy in the production process.

Losses and Waste:

Losses refer to the reduction in the production volume of fruits and fruit products due to several inefficiencies throughout the production process. Waste, on the other hand, is the disposal of fruit that occurs after it is sold due to the habits and behavior of its final consumers.

• Respect the Forestry Code;
•  Protect forest reserves;
• Identify and reduce losses and waste;
• Adopt innovative technologies that contribute to reducing the process of climate change;
• Balanced use of water with assertive technologies;
• Adopt the integrated pest and disease management;
• Innovate in the development of green and biodegradable packaging;
• Adopt Social Responsibility in production operations.

Carbon footprint 

The carbon footprint is a type of measurement that calculates the emission of equivalent carbon emitted into the atmosphere by a person, activity, event, company, organization or government.

Through the carbon footprint we can analyze the impacts that we cause on the atmosphere and the climate changes caused by the release of greenhouse gases from each product, process or service that we consume. 

The Brazilian export fruit farming industry tests methodologies and has advanced in measuring the carbon balance in the production of its fruits and fruit products with the purpose of identifying opportunities of improvement.

The fruit farming sector is committed to the global effort to seek neutral or positive production processes for the balance of CO2 in the atmosphere, reducing climate change and aligning itself with the global effort to protect the planet.

Fruits are healthy products that contribute to people’s well-being and their production process must be aligned with these concepts.

Water footprint

Conceptually, water footprint is the volume of water used to produce a certain product. There are three types of water: blue water, which corresponds to the surface water, such as rivers, lakes, canals; green water, which accumulates in the soil and can be absorbed by the plants; and gray water, which is the contaminated water associated with the production of goods and certain services. 

Water is the most valuable input in agricultural production and fruit farming is committed not only to protecting water sources, but also to the quality and to optimizing the use of water resources, ensuring the production of food as healthy as fruit for future generations.

Green packaging

It is the packaging made from recyclable materials, it can be reused, and has biodegradability features. The market is increasingly attentive and observant, therefore, it has been increasingly demanding packaging with less plastic and using materials such as coconut husk fiber, mushrooms, recycled paper, cassava starch, sugarcane bagasse, corn, potatoes, grapes , eucalyptus, among others. 

There are research studies being carried out by Embrapa Agroindústria de Alimentos (one of Brazil’s most important food research centers), in Rio de Janeiro, which produced a film of cassava starch, acerola pulp and clove essential oil. Also according to Embrapa, green packaging has been perceived as one of the most successful technologies in the preservation of foods such as cookies, meat, and especially fruit. The Brazilian fruit farming sector supports this innovative packaging initiative aimed at reducing solid waste.