【COP30 Side Event】SAFTA Seminar and Tomé-Açu Tour: A Vector of innovation for Agroforestry Systems in the 21th Century Amazon

Day：2025.12.19

event ｜

Person in charge

Name Organization Position　
Shohei Kashiwagi JICA Brazil Senior Representative

Overview

Date：(Seminar)2025/11/15, (Tour)2025/11/16
Host：JICA Brazil
Location (Name of Pavilion)： Outside of venue

Moderators and panelists

Name Organization Position
Akihiro Miyazaki JICA Brazil Cheafe Representative
Ivan Crespo Federal University of Paraná Professor
Alberto Keiti Oppata Mixed Agricultural Cooperative of Tomé-Açu President
Makoto Nagasawa Fruta Fruta, Inc CEO
Osvaldo Ryohei Kato Embrapa Eastern Amazon Researcher

※Tour cooperating organizations are as follows.
CAMTA(Cooperativa Agrícola Mista de Tomé-Açu) / Konagano Farm / PARA-IZO Farm / ACTA(Associação Cultural e Fomenta Agrícola de Tomé Açu )

Primary objectives and outcomes

The Government of Japan has established the 'Japan Pavilion', with the theme 'Solutions to the World', to showcase Japan's advanced technologies and initiatives at COP30.

In line with this theme, JICA Brazil held a seminar and tour of the Tomé-Açu System of Agroforestry (SAFTA), which is the outcome of long-term collaboration within the Japanese immigrant community in Tomé-Açu, close to the host city of COP30, Belém. Japanese immigration to Tomé-Açu began in 1929, Japanese immigration to Tomé-Açu began in 1929 and the area's agriculture initially developed around pepper cultivation. However, after pepper crops were affected by disease in the 1970s, agroforestry combining pepper and fruit trees (SAF) was introduced and it was considered as a sustainable agricultural model. JICA supported this 'transitional agroforestry' by helping to set up an agricultural research station and processing facilities. SAFTA (Sistema Agroflorestal de Tomé-Açu) is widely recognized as a successful example of family farming integrated with the restoration of degraded land and forest conservation, both within Brazil and internationally. Its technology has also been transferred to other South American countries through the Japan-Brazil Partnership Program (JBPP). Presenting this locally driven, practical knowledge (SAFTA) at COP30 was intended to showcase Japan's contribution to the response to climate change and to raise awareness of SAFTA as a harmonized agricultural value chain with forests.

Content of the discussions

JICA held a seminar on the Tomé-Açu Agroforestry System (SAFTA), which was developed by Japanese farmers in the Tomé-Açu region of the state of Pará. Presentations explained how agroforestry practices can help to mitigate climate change, conserve biodiversity, and strengthen the local economy. Representatives from universities, research institutions, private companies and agricultural cooperatives gathered to discuss the technical, economic and environmental value of the system. The following day, approximately 70 participants went on a tour of the Tomé-Açu region, visiting two farms practicing SAFTA, a juice processing plant, and the Immigration Museum.

Highlight of SAFTA Seminar

SAFTA Tour: Explanation of SAFTA Methods at Konagano Farm

SAFTA Tour: Presentation of SAFTA Harvest