Brazil: Changing Global Agriculture Mato Grosso

Cerrado Region of Brazil noun, plural cerrados. [Portuguese si-rah-doo s] Ecology. 1. a type of plains community characterized by vegetation ranging from tropical broadleaf woodlands to scrublands, occurring in extensive areas of Brazil. Dictionary.com

1. Brazil’s new breadbasket Go to the Following web site and scroll down for Data on Mato Grosso http://www.businessinsider.com/brazil-agriculture-boom-mato-grosso-2012-12?op=1

2. Impact of Brazil’s Agriculture on World (6 min – 11min) The benefits of the Brazilian Green Revolution (CLICK HERE) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhiEJOC_-kc Be sure to also read: Cremaq, Piaui. 2010.  The Miracle of the Cerrado: Brazil has revolutionized its own farms.  Can it do the same for others?  Economist 8/26/2010 (click).

Nothing Short of Miraculous Between 1996 and 2006 output increase 23 billion reais to 108 billion 365% increase in output Now no. 1

Govt. Farm Subsidies Modest 5.7% in Brazil 12% in US 29% in EU EMBRAPA – Brazilian Agriculture Reseach Corporation

Future Needs

Brazil Model – Major Points More land under cultivation More water used (38” average rainfall) Targeted soil improvement New “tropical” crop varieties

EMBRAPA: Major points Liming of soil – decrease acidity Soil improvement -- Rhizobium bacteria breeding to increase legume nitrogen fixation (basically plant legumes with no-till or plowing methods) New forage crop imported from tropical Africa (3 times the production of native grasses) Soy Beans breed to be tropical crop Traditional hybrid selections Now GMOs Short cycle variety – two cropping agriculture New Farming techniques – no till planting - Mix livestock pasture, field cropping, forests EMBRAPA: Major points

Major Problem: Transport Think infrastructure as in type of projects funded by ????

Africa Next? Africa has land, but much less rain Could the new and improved “tropical” crops thrive in Africa? EMBRAPA (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation) – exists in Brazil, can Africa benefit from its reseach “Systems Approach” – need to address multiple issues simultaneously

Recent Assessment of AG https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlI2JwhI1JU

3. Broader Look at Brazilian Agriculture (6 min – 20min) The Arid Northeast Three stories http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LrmM6ncIf8

4. The Yankees are coming! (2 min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9zVhbzJ6Mg

5. US Cooperation with Brazil (3 min – 27min) Farmer OPEC? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0jJ9GJO2-0

6. Where will Brazil’s next expansion occur? (3 min – 30min) http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=O9NsPX7Ff28

Liming and improving soil https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcMEhq7Z1n4

7. Resource for the World? (10min – run for about 5 – 35min) Call to Indian Investors http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NDY__uBw_8

What about Africa??? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yGkJsR7-HY John Vidal reports from Ethiopia's remote Gambella region, where foreign investors are pouring in to exploit land the government has cleared of people Read John Vidal's report from Gambella http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cny6fhzDytQ

https://ig.ft.com/sites/land-rush-investment/ethiopia/

8. Synthesis – Agriculture Brazilian Style or Cuban Style – where to go? (17min – 52min—run to end) Terra Culture – Jonathan Foley http://www.ted.com/talks/jonathan_foley_the_other_inconvenient_truth.html