Brazil strengthens partnership with South Africa at technical seminar on food security
The city of Pretoria hosted the fourth edition of the International Road Show 2025, an initiative of the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA), in partnership with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil). The seminar, which brought together around 80 guests, focused on strengthening sanitary and commercial cooperation between Brazil and South Africa, highlighting the adoption of regionalization as a technical tool for managing sanitary risks.
With the theme “South Africa–Brazil: A Successful Partnership – WOAH-based decisions for food security”, the event was attended by the Brazilian ambassador in Pretoria, Benedicto Fonseca Filho, the Secretary of Commerce and International Relations of the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Luís Rua, and the Director-General of the South African Department of Agriculture, Mooketsa Ramasodi, as well as representatives from local industry, importers, sectoral associations and technicians from both countries.
Regionalization, as foreseen in the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) codes, allows that, in cases of notifiable diseases, such as Avian Influenza, only the affected area suffers trade restrictions, preserving the flow of products from other disease-free zones. The event recalled the impact of the total suspension of Brazilian exports in May of this year, when the temporary interruption of purchases directly affected the South African market, with price increases and a shortage of inputs such as MDM, the basis for the production of processed foods and the supply of social programs.
“We want to partner with local production, especially in segments where demand cannot be met internally. Regionalization is a balanced, science-based, and globally recognized solution that ensures sanitary safety without compromising food safety”, stated the president of ABPA, Ricardo Santin.
In addition to the seminar, the Brazilian mission included bilateral meetings with South African health authorities, with discussions on digital certification, epidemiological surveillance, and protocols for responding to health emergencies.
According to Estevão Carvalho, executive manager of markets at ABPA (Brazilian Association of Animal Protein), technical dialogue between countries is crucial to avoid supply disruptions and ensure predictability in trade. “Food security is built on mutual trust and evidence-based decisions. When two countries share protocols, transparency, and a vision for the future, the entire chain – from producer to consumer - benefits”, Carvalho emphasized.
The South African edition of the Road Show follows previous editions held this year in the Philippines, Mexico, and Peru. In all cases, the focus has been the same: to promote the adoption of proportionate sanitary decisions, strengthen trust between authorities, and ensure stability in international trade. In the Philippines, regionalization has already been adopted in response to a sanitary outbreak in Brazil. In Peru, in addition to the technical seminar, ABPA participated in the Expoalimentaria trade fair with four Brazilian companies, generating more than US$71 million in projected business deals.
The International Road Show continues in 2026 with new seminars planned for priority markets.
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