This past September, Conservation Strategy Fund partnered with the Cerrado Institute (Instiuto Cerrados) to host a virtual seminar in Brazil on the economic and social implications of increased pesticide use in farming practices in the Brazilian Cerrado. Because of the increased use of harmful pesticides in farming along with reduced government regulation and oversight, local communities across Brazil have struggled with the associated health risks and resulting environmental damage. In response, local public prosecutors, key stakeholders from academia, and civil society organizations have joined together to find more sustainable alternatives to common pesticides, improve public health, and develop sustainable economic solutions to the problem of increased pesticide use.

CSF Brazil Director Pedro Gasparinetti moderated the seminar, Pesticides: Impacts and Alternatives for the Cerrado, which featured a lively discourse on the effective management of farming practices, restrictive limits on particularly harmful pesticides, and taxes to discourage the use of toxic pesticides. Featuring five leading experts in public health and economics, the seminar provided an invaluable educational experience to participants and was well attended by over 500 people from across the public and private sectors. The event was held virtually across Youtube, Facebook Live, and Instagram Live, and a recording of the seminar in Portuguese can be found here.

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