ForumforAg Food Systems Podcast Summary

In this edition of the Food Systems Podcast, recorded at the Forum’s Annual Conference 2025, Alex Turk talks to Luís Rua, Secretary of Trade and International Relations at the Ministry of Agriculture in Brazil.

Here is a summary of the conversation.

You’ve just been on a panel at the Forum talking about geopolitics. What was your most important message?

It was an opportunity to highlight some of Brazil’s initiatives for more sustainable production. It’s important to highlight that geopolitics matters, and we are living in a new era. We believe Brazil can be a promoter of a “geopolitics of peace” by providing food, energy, and climate security to the world. We have been doing a lot in climate security in the past two years. Since 2023, Brazil has reduced deforestation in the Amazon by 45% and the country is also a reliable and stable partner for food, with a high sanitary status and no cases of diseases like, for example, Avian Flu or African Swine Fever.

Do you feel you are communicating a change in attitude and perception to the EU here in Brussels?

Yes, it’s a new era. But there are almost 200 countries in the world; we can discuss with those countries that want to discuss with us. We must remember that almost one billion people worldwide face food insecurity. Of course, this new era can bring some new challenges, but Brazil wants to be part of the solution by producing more food in a more sustainable way.

The EU-Mercosur deal needs to be ratified by 27 countries. How difficult will that be?

This is a decision for European countries. We advanced a lot last year with the conclusion of the negotiations. There’s a very significant signal a partnership like the EU-Mercosur agreement would send to the world: a message of collaboration, not war. So I hope Europe can think about it. We are open to helping with the process and hope to reach a final agreement soon.

Thinking about the protectionist agenda and trade wars coming from the United States, do you hope ears are open on the other side of the Atlantic?

Brazil is ready to help any country that needs agricultural products. We have scale and we are reliable partners, so we can have more trade. Trade also helps reduce the pressure on inflation, which is another issue we are facing today.

What about the concerns voiced by European farmers regarding lower labour costs and less restricted pesticide use in Brazil?

That’s not true, because Brazil complies with all EU requirements. Brazil has been a supplier of chicken and beef to the EU since the 1980s, and we are regularly checked and approved by the European Commission’s health agency. In some environmental areas, Brazil’s regulations are even more strict than the EU’s. We are not enemies but could be even better partners.

You feel that Brazil is an important part of the solution to climate change. You’re hosting COP 30 in November 2025 – what will the focus be there?

COP 30 in Belém, which is in the heart of the Amazon, will be a key moment to showcase our sustainability practices. We have a national programme to transform 40 million hectares of low-productivity degraded pasture into highly productive land. We aim to increase production without expanding into new agricultural areas. We also have programmes like ABC+ for low-carbon agriculture, focusing on a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable production system.

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