BOX 13
Brazil: An Emerging Power in Agriculture Beatriz da Silveira Pinheiro and Geraldo B. Martha Jr., Embrapa
I
n 2011, Brazil’s agricultural export sur- plus exceeded US$70 billion. The overall
performance of Brazilian agriculture in the last four decades has transformed the country from a net importer of several products to one of the most relevant play- ers in the international agricultural com- modities market. To a great extent, the huge transformation was a response to an increased demand for agricultural products prompted by the industrialization process of the 1960s to the 1980s. This industrial- ization period was associated with a grow- ing and increasingly richer and more urban population. The increased opportunity cost of labor for farmers led to a favorable environment for agricultural moderniza- tion. Huge investments were made in agricultural research and development efforts during the last four decades, even in the first years (1970s and 1980s) when the modernization of Brazilian agriculture was still just a promise. As food production increased more
than food demand, real food prices decreased: in the period 1975–2010, con- sumer food prices decreased by half. This huge drop in food prices, along with asso- ciated reduced price volatility, has allevi- ated inflationary pressures and ensured
national food security. In addition, lower food prices have effectively boosted other sectors in the economy because paying less for food frees up more income, espe- cially for the poor. Brazil strongly focused on technology-driven productivity gains, which became an important additional characteristic of agricultural production expansion. Without these gains, meet- ing 2006 production levels would have required an additional agricultural area 30 percent larger than the Amazon Biome in Brazil. This vigorous increase in agricultural
production also allowed for increased exports. In the last two decades, Brazil diversified exports, and oilseeds, grains, and meats acquired great relevance. The resulting export surplus has guaranteed positive results for the Brazilian balance of trade and supported food prices in domestic markets, with positive effects on Brazilian farmers’ income. From a global perspective, the increased volume of Brazilian agricultural exports has made an important contribution to reducing world hunger and food-price inflationary pres- sures in developing countries. Brazil’s experience in producing
agricultural commodities in the tropical
region and its fast achievements in low-carbon agricultural technologies, such as highly productive integrated crop–livestock systems, will reinforce its influence on world markets. So far, the country uses less than 50 percent of its geographic area as agricultural land. This fact, along with the possibil- ity of using agricultural technologies to ensure environmental protection and expand production, will further strengthen the country’s role in agricul- tural markets. Unsurprisingly, Brazilian agriculture’s
success story has awakened the intense interest of other developing countries, mainly in Africa and in Latin America and the Caribbean, that want to know more about tropical agricultural technolo- gies developed by Brazil. Responding to this increased demand, the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) significantly expanded its participation in cooperation projects in other tropical regions in the last five years, broadening the possibilities for fruitful partnerships with other countries. The focus of Embrapa’s cooperation is on technology transfer, capacity strengthen- ing, and research cooperation.
Summit, launched in 2008, is paving the way for greater cooperation, such as through the trans- fer of agricultural technologies that meet the real needs of small-scale farmers in Africa. India is a leader in tropical technology—not only improved varieties but also resources management tech- nologies, which are just as important for meeting farmers’ needs. India is also an active player in the Interregional Initiatives for India, Brazil, and South Africa—which established the Facility Fund
72 STEPPING INTO THE GLOBAL FOOD SYSTEM
for Alleviation of Poverty and Hunger in Africa in 2003. South Africa, itself a leader in agricultural tech-
nology, is a key player in the transfer of technolo- gies to fellow African countries. In Latin America, Brazil has been actively involved in South–South cooperation for agricultural development, both within Latin America and in other develop- ing regions, particularly Africa. In Africa, Bra- zil initially focused on the Portuguese-speaking
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