A few days ago, Alex Eaton, our global CEO, quoted an African proverb that says, “If you want to go far, go together.” This is one of the guiding principles that should influence each of our actions and is also what Sistema.bio strives to offer to every farmer, company, university, organization, and partner we work with.
International meetings like COP16, held in Cali, Colombia—recognized as “the Heart of the World,” as Gustavo Petro, President of Colombia, mentioned in his opening speech—bring together thousands of people seeking just that: teamwork to go far together and find tangible solutions to address the urgency of climate change, biodiversity loss, and the need for sustainable agricultural solutions.
This year, the theme was “Peace with Nature,” inviting a conversation on creating harmony between human progress and environmental preservation. Today, more than ever, we are at a crucial moment where individuals, countries, industries, governments, and organizations need to take action on everything that has been at stake for decades.
Peace with Nature through the Importance of Bio-inputs
This year’s COP16 on Biodiversity focused on implementing concrete actions to halt global biodiversity loss. It was an ideal platform to highlight the role that sustainable technologies, like biodigesters, can play. In the context of international commitments to biodiversity conservation, the use of biofertilizers derived from biodigesters offers a practical solution to support ecosystem regeneration, improve soil health, and reduce dependency on harmful chemical inputs.
A key objective of this COP was to advance the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework, which sets goals for restoring degraded ecosystems and protecting endangered species. Biodigesters and their many benefits, such as biofertilizer, can play a crucial role by helping farmers restore soils depleted by intensive agriculture, supporting the recovery of native plant species, and creating more suitable habitats for wildlife.
In one of the sessions, we were thrilled to hear the use of bio-inputs highlighted as a key element. Biofertilizers significantly reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers, whose production and use contribute to soil and water pollution, negatively impacting biodiversity. By promoting more sustainable and regenerative agriculture, biodigesters support the transition to farming practices that not only increase productivity but also benefit the conservation of pollinators, beneficial insects, and other key species for ecosystems.
At this COP, it was essential to emphasize how the use of biofertilizers can be scaled as part of nature-based solutions that promote sustainable, organic, high-quality food production while conserving biodiversity. Countries promoting the use of these technologies could advance their commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve the quality of life for agricultural producers, reduce environmental impact, and promote regenerative agriculture for the planet’s conservation.
Looking to the Future from the Present
The theme “Peace with Nature” is a powerful reminder that the challenges we face in climate action cannot be resolved without considering how people and the environment can thrive together. Petro mentioned that it is the small connections between brilliant minds that generate changes in production methods; sustainable and equitable financing between nations; new ways of experiencing wealth and clean energies with solutions that replace carbon, oil, and gas.
As negotiations at COP16 continue, with significant challenges, especially in securing an adequate flow of funding for developing countries to meet the Global Biodiversity Framework goals, and as several countries have yet to update their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), which hinders progress toward global goals, the world is still searching for actionable solutions to address the urgent need for climate action and environmental preservation. In all this, it is heartening to confirm that Sistema.bio is more committed than ever to being part of that solution.
Together, we can achieve peace with nature—one farm, one community, one biodigester at a time—demonstrating that the path to a greener future begins from the ground up.
Practical and Tangible Examples
While environmental protection and conservation are at the heart of Sistema.bio’s activities, this year has been marked by successful partnerships and projects in Colombia focused on biodiversity protection, recognizing that farmers are not just beneficiaries of sustainable practices but also agents of change.
For example, since the end of 2023, we have been working hand-in-hand with the Amazon Conservation Team. The collaboration with Sistema.bio includes six Sistema 12 biodigesters, which help local producers in the Caquetá department of Colombia become more self-sufficient and reduce their use of firewood as an energy source. This will help reduce firewood consumption and, consequently, conserve Colombia’s Amazon forests. Through this project, more than 30 people now have smoke-free kitchens and improved respiratory health. Additionally, 78 hectares of Colombian land are being fertilized with biofertilizer. You can learn more about this case here.
Another case is the partnership between Sistema.bio and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), BACCAO – Climate Focus, and GANSO. Through four biodigester systems fed by cacao mucilage on farms in the Meta department of Colombia, more than 15 people now have the opportunity to process agricultural waste and generate biogas for domestic use and organic fertilizers. This project aims to promote sustainable practices using a “learning by doing” approach, ensuring proper technological adoption by beneficiaries. One of the goals of this joint effort is to conduct detailed analyses of the biofertilizer to find the best recommendations for soil and crop improvement, which have been impacted by climate challenges.
Examples like these are crucial to demonstrate that working in collaboration toward a regenerative economy and agriculture not only minimizes environmental damage but also actively restores and regenerates natural resources.
Almendra Ortiz-Tirado
Director of Sistema.bio Latin America
