The president of Embrapa, Sebastião Barbosa, and the ambassador of Australia, Timothy Kane, signed on Tuesday morning (March 12) a Memorandum of Understanding that represents the first step towards research cooperation that is going to benefit the Brazilian Semiarid region. The initiative aims at the exchange of knowledge between Embrapa and the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and was motivated upon a request from Brazil's Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock (CNA), as a means to contribute to the development of pastures for the region, whose climate conditions are subject to limited rainfall. "The forage breeding program has been very efficient to produce pastures, but CNA's president, João Martins, suggested further research exchange efforts", said the president of the Embrapa, underscoring the importance of the genetic material available in the gene banks of the foreign country. "This cooperation partnership will provide the chance to introduce materials that are more suited to the climate of Brazil's Semiarid Northeast, to the benefit of farmers, especially the poorest, who have been left outside the development", he concluded. For the ambassador of Australia, the signature of the document represents the definition of a priority strategy for both parties. "It is a very important occasion, because we are already in Latin America - Colombia and Chile - now is the time for Brazil", he commented, recalling that the first step will be a meeting with CNA during a visit of CSIRO representatives. "In this sense, it is necessary to have a memorandum of understanding before starting a more impacting agenda". "We can affirm that the CNA is available to collaborate with the Embassy of Australia and Embrapa, in whatever is necessary", ensured the president of the Pernambuco State Federation of Agriculture (Faepe), Pio Guerra Junior, who was present representing the institution, accompanied by the president of the Bahia State Federation of Agriculture and Livestock (Faeb), Humberto Miranda Oliveira. According to Embrapa's Secretary of Intelligence and Strategic Affairs, Rita Milagres, a survey carried out with the corporation's 42 Research Units showed that at least 20 of them had demonstrated interest in developing joint research with the Australian research institution. Among the main areas, she highlighted plant and animal breeding, irrigation and water resource management, animal health, with emphasis on disease control, integrated insect management with emphasis on biological control, and environmental rehabilitation and ecosystem services. "This proves the relevance of the Memorandum of Agreement signed at this moment between the Embrapa and the Embassy of Australia, which is certainly going to generate a very promising partnership", she added. Translation: Mariana Medeiros