Márcia Azanha Ferraz Dias de Moraes

Adoption and use of precision agriculture technologies in the sugarcane industry of Sao Paulo state, Brazil

Precision agriculture (PA) technologies are being applied to crops in Brazil, which are important to ensure Brazil’s position in agricultural production. However, there are no studies available at present to indicate the extent to which PA technologies are being used in the country. Therefore, the main objective of this research was to investigate how the sugar-ethanol industry in São Paulo state, which produces 60% of the domestic sugarcane, is adopting and using these techniques. For this purpose, primary data were used, which were obtained from a questionnaire sent to all companies operating in the sugar-ethanol industry in the region. The aim was to determine to what extent these companies are adopting and using PA technologies, and also to promote a more in-depth discussion of the topic within the sugar-ethanol industry. Information was obtained on the features of the companies, on sources of information that they use for adopting these technologies, on their impacts on these companies and on obstacles hindering their adoption. The main conclusions of this research suggest that companies that adopt and use PA practices reap benefits, such as managerial improvements, higher yields, lower costs, minimization of environmental impacts and improvements in sugarcane quality.

Perspective: Lessons from Brazil

Thirty five years of experience has taught one of the worlds leading biofuels producers several essential lessons, which other countries should heed, says Marcia Moraes.

Bioenergy and African transformation

Among the world’s continents, Africa has the highest incidence of food insecurity and poverty and the highest rates of population growth. Yet Africa also has the most arable land, the lowest crop yields, and by far the most plentiful land resources relative to energy demand. It is thus of interest to examine the potential of expanded modern bioenergy production in Africa. Here we consider bioenergy as an enabler for development, and provide an overview of modern bioenergy technologies with a comment on application in an Africa context. Experience with bioenergy in Africa offers evidence of social benefits and also some important lessons. In Brazil, social development, agricultural development and food security, and bioenergy development have been synergistic rather than antagonistic. Realizing similar success in African countries will require clear vision, good governance, and adaptation of technologies, knowledge, and business models to myriad local circumstances. Strategies for integrated production of food crops, livestock, and bioenergy are potentially attractive and offer an alternative to an agricultural model featuring specialized land use. If done thoughtfully, there is considerable evidence that food security and economic development in Africa can be addressed more effectively with modern bioenergy than without it. Modern bioenergy can be an agent of African transformation, with potential social benefits accruing to multiple sectors and extending well beyond energy supply per se. Potential negative impacts also cut across sectors. Thus, institutionally inclusive multi-sector legislative structures will be more effective at maximizing the social benefits of bioenergy compared to institutionally exclusive, single-sector structures.

Perspectives for Sustainable Aviation Biofuels in Brazil

The aviation industry has set ambitious goals to reduce carbon emissions in coming decades. The strategy involves the use of sustainable biofuels, aiming to achieve benefits from environmental, social, and economic perspectives. In this context, Brazilian conditions are favorable, with a mature agroindustry that regularly produces automotive biofuel largely adopted by Brazilian road vehicles, while air transportation has been growing at an accelerating pace and a modern aircraft industry is in place. This paper presents the main conclusions and recommendations from a broad assessment of the technological, economic, and sustainability challenges and opportunities associated with the development of drop-in aviation biofuels in Brazil. It was written by a research team that prepared the initial reports and conducted eight workshops with the active participation of more than 30 stakeholders encompassing the private sector, government institutions, NGOs, and academia. The main outcome was a set of guidelines for establishing a new biofuels industry, including recommendations for (a) filling the identified research and development knowledge gaps in the production of sustainable feedstock; (b) overcoming the barriers in conversion technology, including scaling-up issues; (c) promoting greater involvement and interaction between private and government stakeholders; and (d) creating a national strategy to promote the development of aviation biofuels.

The Future of Biofuel in Brazil

The chapter argues that given the current situation, it is likely that the biofuel sector in Brazil will expand moderately. Much of the expansion will be through increased efficiency of existing operations. However, there is potential for much larger growth over time that will see the size of the sector quadruple or even more. It will depend heavily on the ability to master use of domestic natural resources and assure international demand. Government support for extension of biofuel will be limited and depend on its macroeconomic situation.

Roadmap to a Sustainable Aviation Biofuel: A Brazilian Case Study

Abstract In 2013, the International Air Transport Association, in agreement with the International Civil Aviation Organization, approved a resolution setting out ambitious targets for addressing carbon emission reduction entitled ‘Aviation Carbon-Neutral Growth Strategy (CNG2020)’. The strategy involves the use of sustainable biofuels (drop-in), aiming to achieve benefits from environmental, social, and economic perspectives. In this context, Brazilian conditions are favourable, with a mature agroindustry that regularly produces large amounts of grains and cereals, and automotive biofuel largely adopted by all Brazilian road vehicles. At the same time, air transportation has been growing at an accelerating pace and a modern aircraft industry is in place. In order to identify the main opportunities, and the main gaps and barriers to developing a modern and sustainable aviation industry in Brazil, a roadmapping methodology was implemented involving stakeholders and players in the biofuels and aeronautics industries. The process was carried out using a workshop setting to stimulate discussions on the following topics: Feedstock, Refining Technologies, Sustainability, Policy and Incentives, Logistics & Support, Research & Development, and Commercialization Gaps. The effort involved an active participation of more than 30 stakeholders encompassing the private sector, government institutions, non-governmental organizations, and academia, and a full report was published (Roadmap for Sustainable Aviation Biofuels for Brazil: A Flightpath to Aviation Biofuels in Brazil). Aiming to present the main outcomes, in the following topics relevant aspects concerning feedstocks, land availability, sustainability, and refining processes are discussed. The conclusion gives a summary of limiting factors and policy recommendations.

The Free Market: The Profound Changes and the New Agenda

The withdrawal of the federal government from its involvement in the sugarcane industry was, as previously discussed, a long and contentious process that required considerable learning by the stakeholders involved, all of whom were accustomed to intense government intervention, which had been de rigueur since the 1930s. When the federal government disengaged itself in the late 1990s, conflicts related to distribution arose. The resolution of those conflicts required that the players in the industry learn to cope with the new rules imposed by the free market environment, in which the efficiency of production and the competitiveness of the product became major issues. Within this scenario, other major changes began to shape the agenda for the sector, domestically and internationally, after the year 2000. Most notable were the introduction of flex-fuel automobiles in Brazilian market (which dramatically reversed a decline in the demand for hydrous ethanol that had been occurring prior to that time, thus stimulating the expansion of ethanol production), efforts made by the Brazilian government and other international bodies to alter protectionist measures in the international sugar and changes to the international environmental agenda, especially those related to global warming concerns. This period was marked no only by the expansion of the domestic production but also by the entry of new players in the sugarcane production chain in Brazil. All those changes and their impacts on the sugarcane industry are addressed and discussed in this chapter.

Labor Policies in Brazil

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.

A influência dos sindicatos nos salários do setor sucroalcooleiro

The aim of this paper is to identify the determinants of the income of the employees of the sugarcane sector, and also for the sugar and ethanol industries. Special attention is given to unions role. Earnings equations were estimated for these sectors and information on unions action were collected in a field research. In the regressions estimated, the coefficients of the following variables were significant and had the expected signs: (i) gender (ii) region, (iii) education, (iv) threshold effect of education, (v) membership to labor unions. It was verified the existence and also the influence of labor unions on wage formation

The Sugarcane Industry and the Use of Fuel Ethanol in Brazil: History, Challenges, and Opportunities

Brazil is an international pioneer in biofuels, with more than 40 years of experience in the production and use of sugarcane ethanol. This paper describes institutional factors that contributed to the development of the biofuel industry, including the military regime and state-owned Petrobras in the 1970s and 1980s, the post-deregulation period in the 1990s, and changes in the 2000s, including new institutions targeting feedstock pricing arrangements and the growth in demand for flex-fuel cars, which allowed for market-based incentives. State intervention allowed the industry to overcome barriers of infrastructure, a transportation network, development of ethanol-powered vehicles, and output price stability and credit support. The paper concludes with key lessons from Brazilian ethanol production. While Brazil initially supported ethanol production in an effort to replace petroleum, it is now incentivizing expansion of a consumer market to address environmental and climate problems. Government support has allowed for efficient allocation of byproducts and positive impacts on the labor market, and agricultural sector in general. Still improvements in stability and predictability of the institutional environment are important for future growth. The lessons from Brazil provide insight into the challenges of biofuels in other countries attempting to replace fossil fuels with renewable resources.