A Sustentabilidade na Produção de Soja Influenciada pela Roundtable on Responsible Soy Association (RTRS) no Centro-Oeste Brasileiro

Abstract

There is a growing concern of stakeholders with environmental and sustainability issues in soy production. Among them, environmental, labor and environmental preservation issues stand out. Soybean production challenges in the use of water, soil and pesticides. In this scenario, the Responsible Soy Roundtable (RTRS) emerges, a global multi-stakeholder platform that works for responsible soy, founded in 2006 in Switzerland. RTRS does not certify, it has a certification standard for Responsible Soy that a certifier must follow in accordance with its Criteria and Principles. The objective of the research is to understand how a roundtable on responsible soy influences the sustainability of soy production in the Brazilian Midwest, based on studies in three rural properties that have RTRS certification: Fazenda Santa Rita, Fazenda Areias de Baixo and Fazenda Taquaral de Cima, orders in Orizona-Goiás and the NGO Aliança da Terra that supports rural producers to obtain certification. The research is classified as a multiple case study, it is a qualitative research. The collection of primary data took place through semi-structured changes, the secondary data were collected through the Public Report of auditoriums published by the certifier. Data analysis was done by content and document analysis. As a result of the survey, it was identified that the main motivations for obtaining RTRS certification by producers are: Adding value to the product, concerns with exports, adapting to environmental and labor laws and preserving the environment. Another result identified was the perceived advantages of obtaining RTRS certification: complying with environmental and labor laws, financial advantages, satisfaction. Another result was the actions identified to minimize social and environmental impacts on the use of water, soil and the use of pesticides in their production, in addition to what is required by the RTRS Standard: use of biological pesticides, plantations only in the rainy season, no-till and crop rotation. Therefore, it is concluded that the Roundtable on Responsible Soy (RTRS) does indeed influence the sustainability of soy production. Keywords: Sustainability; Stakeholders; Roundtable; Sustainable Certification.