Mission

Fighting deforestation

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Since the 1950s, global soybean production has increased 15 times over.  For example, since 2000, Brazil has doubled its total area of soy plantation to 36 million hectares and become the world’s largest producer. This expansion has erased vast swathes of forest and other habitats in some of the country’s most biodiverse regions. Without proper safeguards, the soybean industry will continue to cause widespread deforestation and displacement of small farmers and indigenous peoples around the globe. 

Why does the world need an alternative to the low-cost soybeans?

• On the global level, soybeans need large quantities of fresh water which is less and less available in many countries. In order to produce 1kg of soy-based protein 6600 litters of drinking water are needed. In recent years extensive growth of biofuel crops is making this problem even worse. American Biofuels Council claimed that the ultimate limiting factor in biofuels production would be the availability of water.

• In terms of nutrition: Products based on soybeans proteins lack Vitamin B12 which is essential to the human diet. A vitamin B12 deficiency is a very serious problem leading ultimately to anemia and irreversible nerve damage. The cost of vitamin B12 supplement is $1.5/month per person. In addition, soy proteins lack the basic amino acid Methionine. A new $11B industry of amino acid food supplements is emerging.

• Soybeans tend to produce allergic symptoms. It is a hypersensitivity to dietary substances from soy that causes an overreaction of the immune system which may lead to severe physical symptoms for millions of people. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America estimates soy is among the nine most common food allergens for pediatric and adult food allergy patients.