Eliseu Alves

The development of Brazilian agriculture: future technological challenges and opportunities.

Ensuring food security for the worlds population over the coming decades will face the challenges of a larger world population, greater urbanization, limited natural resources, higher levels of income, and stronger links between the agricultural and biofuel markets. Overcoming the challenges these represent will require, among other efforts, promoting sustainable expansion of agricultural production through higher productivity and greater cropping intensity. In this paper, we examine the role of Brazils agriculture industry in the domestic and world markets; first, we review the countrys agricultural development experience, and second, we address some key issues that will play a pivotal role in Brazilian agriculture in the future. The paper highlights the main aspects of the modernization process experienced by Brazils national agriculture industry, presents the style of agricultural growth followed by the country, and discusses selected technologies that have played a major role in transforming the sector over the past four decades. We also analyze income from different farm sizes, and provide an overview of key agricultural research challenges and technologies that will be pursued by Brazil in the near future.

Dimensão econômica de sistemas de integração lavoura‑pecuária

Os sistemas de integracao lavoura-pecuaria (ILP) tem sido propostos como solucao tecnologica para atender criterios de sustentabilidade, mas tal assertiva tem-se baseado principalmente em indicadores agronomicos e ambientais. Neste trabalho, explorou-se a perspectiva economica da ILP. Os beneficios economicos potenciais desses sistemas podem refletir-se em economia de escopo (diminuicao do custo, em razao da producao de multiplos produtos) ou nos efeitos de reducao de risco pela diversificacao. Alem disso, eles podem envolver menor variabilidade produtiva e maior produtividade. A mensuracao acurada das interacoes entre os componentes lavoura e animal (pastagem) e etapa-chave a ser perseguida. A tomada de decisao em prol de sistemas diversificados vis-a-vis sistemas especializados deve ser feita de acordo com os precos relativos. A ILP compete com sistemas especializados de pecuaria, mas nao apresenta taxas de retorno competitivas em comparacao a sistemas especializados com soja. A elevada demanda por capital da ILP, particularmente para a aquisicao de animais em recria para a engorda, explica as menores taxas de retorno da ILP e e vista como uma das principais restricoes para a ampla adocao de sistemas mistos. O desenho de mecanismos de financiamento inovadores sera essencial para promover e acelerar a adocao em larga escala da tecnologia.

Technical efficiency of production in agricultural research

We define and model research production at Embrapa, the major Brazilian institution responsible for applied agricultural research. The main theoretical framework used is Data Envelopment Analysis — DEA. The economic interpretation of these models is explored to assess scale, congestion and cost efficiencies. Efficiency results are used to test for differences among types of research units and for the scale of operation. A further analysis of agricultural research in Brazil is carried out with the inclusion of three research centers in Argentina. Finally, DEA estimates are compared with the fit of a stochastic frontier.

Embrapa: Its Origins and Changes

Brazil is a country of continental proportions whose gross domestic product is unevenly distributed among its various regions. The impact of general domestic economic policies has often been perceived as not being regionally neutral, but as reinforcing the geographic concentration of economic activities. This detailed book examines the regional impact of such general policies as: industrialization, agricultural modernization, privatization, stabilization, science and technology, labor, and foreign direct investment.

The meat market in Brazil: a partial equilibrium model

A partial equilibrium model for the meat market is fit to Brazilian data by three stages least squares. The model is consistent with the data and may be used for simulation purposes. In this context we compare model simulations for the near future with the OECD/ Aglink outlook. To illustrate using the model for simulations in policy assessments, we investigate the effect of a relative increase in corn price on the poultry and pork markets, coeteris paribus.

Tipos de Especialização na Agricultura Brasileira

This paper introduces a methodology to define types of farm specialization, taking into account the structure of incomes from agricultural activities. Using the data from a survey jointly conducted by the Getulio Vargas Foundation and Embrapa, which covered nine regions in Brazil, it was possible to allocate each farm into a unique specialization type and estimate a specialization index for each region. With this index, a specialization ordering among the regions was found. This is followed by some considerations on the number of agricultural activities and problems which may appear when regional mean values are used. Within a situation where high specialization levels prevail, important interregional differences are identified, which may contribute to the formulation of agricultural policies and research activities. In broader terms, it is believed that a similar methodology may be applied to the study of specialization in other situations (e.g., at the level of municipalities).

The Role and Impact of Public Research and Technology Transfer in Brazilian Agriculture

The public sector played a pivotal role in transforming a traditional agriculture in Brazil into a modern one by leading the agricultural research and development (RD expanded opportunities for employment and income generation in agricultural (and associated) value chains; a more positive balance of trade; and a substantial attenuation of inflationary pressures. In the coming decades, the value of Brazilian agriculture to society will eventually be even bigger, as the so-called bio-economy gets strengthened. However, it is imperative to encourage a more intense engagement of the private sector in agricultural R&D activities in Brazil.

CONDITIONAL FDH EFFICIENCY TO ASSESS PERFORMANCE FACTORS FOR BRAZILIAN AGRICULTURE

In this article we assess the effect of market imperfections and income inequality on rural production efficiency. The analysis is carried out using the notion of stochastic conditional efficiency computed in terms of free disposal hull (FDH) efficiencymeasurements. Free disposal hull and conditional FDH are output oriented with variable returns to scale. They are evaluated for rural production at the county level, considering the rank of rural gross income as the output and the ranks of land expenses, labor expenses, and expenses on other technological factors as inputs. The conditional frontier is dependent on income inequality and other indicators related to market imperfections. The econometric approach is based on fractional regression models and the generalized method of moments (GMM). Overall, the market imperfection variables act to reduce performance, and income dispersion is positively associated with technical efficiency.