The inauguration of second biodigester in the Adecoagro dairy (see page 7 of this issue of Clarín Rural) is a touching milestone in the saga of the Second Pampas Revolution. And it leaves a lot of thread to cut.
The American James Scobie told it, 50 years ago “Revolution in the Pampas” the epic of territorial conquest. Between 1860 and 1910 the country was organized around colonies, ranches, and farms. The fences, the waters, the mill, the alfalfa. Railway and road infrastructures, ports, meat processing plants, mills and malthouses were built. Argentina became famous for its meats and, as a co-product, was the breadbasket of the world.
The Second Revolution is that of technological conquest. And it joins the third, already underway, which is the one that integrates agricultural and livestock production into the new world of the circular economy. “It’s the bioeconomy, stupid,” Bill Clinton shouts.
The Adecoagro dairy expresses all the characteristics of this process. AND technological in-depth study in milk production. 20 years ago there was a dairy farm with 600 cows They produced 18 liters a day, according to a pastoral system. Today there are 15,500 under the roof, in three modules of sheds that provide them with all the necessary comfort so that, with a scientifically based diet, they can produce 38 liters per day. Twice. The basic concept of ecology is efficiency in the use of resources.
The cow is a resource that turns plant food into milk. Land is a resource that transforms CO2 present in the air into plant products. Maximizing production from the land and doubling production per cow is an environmental benefit. And it is even more so when nutrients are recycled, entering in the era of the circular economy. It is what is found inside the packaging of its brands, such as the famous “Las Tres Niñas”.
And everything is enhanced when at the same time an effluent (cow manure) is converted into electricity. Six years ago we were at the inauguration of the first biodigester, which generated 1.7 MW. Now the second generates 2.0 MW additional. A investment of 8 million dollars. In addition there is a photovoltaic system that adds an extra half MW. All this reaches the national electricity grid.
Green Year of Argentina. Food and energy. A repeating paradigm across all business units of the company. In Brazil they developed a mill from scratch where they produce sugar cane on a large scale and turn it into ethanol and sugar, orienting the mix based on market prices. But all the bagasse (by-product of cane milling) is converted into electricity. The company has already turned over several million dollars market carbon credits which generates this transformation of biomass into renewable energy.
And the leader in rice productionWhere converts the water of the Paraná and its tributaries into the main food for humanity, before irreparably salinizing into the sea with more pain than glory. Huge investments in engineering, intelligent systematization, introduction of the “zero level” model which greatly increases the efficiency of the entire cultivation process, from sowing to harvesting. Sustainable production, with less energy consumption, less diesel and less “iron”.
Facts. The entire management of the company is Argentine. The entire conception and execution is in their hands, led by one of the most brilliant businessmen in the country: Mariano Bosch. He summoned international investors, obtained the initial financing, started the process and ten years ago had the imagination and audacity to take it to Wall Street transform it into a public company. Today it is listed on the Nasdaq with the acronym AGRO. I intend, agriculture on Wall Street is Argentina.
Source: Clarin
