Exploring the policy and social factors fueling the expansion and shift of sugarcane production in the Brazilian Cerrado

Granco, Gabriel; Caldas, Marcellus M.; Bergtold, Jason S.; Sant’Anna, Ana Cláudia

doi:10.1007/s10708-015-9666-y

Cited by 45 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 68 publications

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“…During the 21st century sugarcane production expanded from the state of Sao Paulo, the leading state in ethanol and sugar production, to counties that bordered the state [41,42]. Farmers switched from grain and livestock production to sugarcane expanding sugarcane production to adjacent counties [41,42]. The size of the effect on corn contract revenues in adjacent counties resembles the changes in corn acreage found by Li et al [43] due to increases in ethanol production capacity.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 76%

“…This situation was, in fact, experienced in Brazil. During the 21st century sugarcane production expanded from the state of Sao Paulo, the leading state in ethanol and sugar production, to counties that bordered the state [41,42]. Farmers switched from grain and livestock production to sugarcane expanding sugarcane production to adjacent counties [41,42].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Impact of Ethanol Plant Location on Corn Revenues for U.S. Farmers

Katchova

Sant’Anna

2019

Sustainability

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Ethanol production has rapidly expanded over the past few years. The opening of an ethanol plant can increase local demand for corn, pressuring increases in local corn basis. But how does this affect corn contract prices and revenues? At the farm level, the impact of an ethanol plant on local corn contract revenues is still unknown. Data from the USDA Agricultural Resource Management Survey suggests that corn contract revenues in counties with ethanol plants are higher than corn contract revenues in counties without ethanol plants at similar prices. We estimate the impact of ethanol plants on local corn contract revenues by running non-spatial and spatial difference-in-difference models. A statistically significant effect of ethanol plant location on corn contract revenues within the same county was not found, but rather a statistically significant effect of ethanol plants on corn contract revenues for farmers located in adjacent counties. Local competitive advantage, not the presence of an ethanol plant, may be the reason for observed higher revenues in counties with an ethanol plant. Therefore, policymakers should focus their resources in promoting greater efficiency in corn production to boost farmers’ revenues.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 76%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of Ethanol Plant Location on Corn Revenues for U.S. Farmers

Katchova

Sant’Anna

2019

Sustainability

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“…More than thirty years after Proálcool, Brazil still experiences an expansion of sugarcane driven by the domestic market and policies to support biofuels. The territorial dynamics of sugarcane moved part of the plantations and plants from historical croplands -Northeast and São Paulo state -to large areas of native savannah (Cerrado) in the Center-West Region [32]. In 2000, those areas had 7.6% of the sugar cane plantations in Brazil (in area).…”

Section: A the National Ethanol Program (Proálcool)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Renovabio: Innovation and Sustainability at the New Brazilian Biofuels Policy or The Emperor’s New Clothes?

Lima

Toni

2020

EJGEO

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Biofuel policies are an ongoing matter for both developed and developing countries. Brazil, a giant world producer, has a historical roll of regulations and laws that affect the sector. Nevertheless, studies from a political ecology perspective, which pay attention to the impacts of power relations and discourses in political outcomes are scarce. In this sense, we focus on the National Biofuel Policy (Renovabio), launched in 2017, to analyze discursive coalitions as well as perceptions from social actors settle in a biofuel production territory. We sought to understand contradictions between discourses and practices within Renovabio and how they reproduce traditional Brazilian Biofuel policies. To answer these questions, we used Atlas.ti software to support a content and critical discursive analysis in order to detect distinct perspectives, narratives and interests during Renovabio’s implementation. We draw on: i) statements from stakeholders, lobbyists, and Congress members; ii) Bills, Law Projects and ordinances texts from the special commissions and committees; iii) speeches from plenary sessions occurred on the National Congress; iv) Public Audiences contributions; v) articles from biofuel magazines and specialized websites; and, vi) digital platforms from lobbies and interest groups; We also conducted 24 interviews with community members, farmers, local government officials, civil associations, and industry representatives in the state of Goiás, a large ethanol/ sugar-energy production territory. Results pointed to a strong ecological modernization discourse deployed to justify the rapid policy implementation and to legitimize economic incentives, particularly ecological labeling/certification. Renovabio’s goals, speeches and practices are in many senses contradictory and reproduce problems detected in previous biofuel policies that dim legislative transparency, weakens accountability and tramples society participation and representativeness over biofuel development.

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“…According to Abdala & Ribeiro (2011) and Castro et al (2010), the Cerrado biome attracts investments of sugar-alcohol enterprises, due to its edaphoclimatic conditions, very similar to that of the Western region of São Paulo State, traditional sugarcane cultivation area, and because the biome is located within in the Agro-Ecological Zoning of Sugarcane (ZAE Cana) (Established by the Brazilian government, the Agro-Ecological Zoning of Sugarcane maps areas suitable for the production of sugarcane, based on edaphoclimatic conditions, as well as environmental, social and economic aspects). According to Granco et al (2017) and Domingues & Thomaz (2012), some other factors were determinant for the agroindustry to invest in the region, such as land lower acquisition and lease values, when…”

Section: Expansion Of Sugarcane Culture In Regions Of New Agriculturamentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of the agricultural productivity of the sugarcane crop in regions of new agricultural expansions of sugarcane

et al. 2019

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The launching of biofuel vehicles in 2003 led to ethanol demand increase and a new phase of expansion of sugarcane cultivation in Brazil. Although the increase in area of production and the quantity of sugarcane produced have been very important to Brazilian agribusiness, the recent agricultural productivity rate has slowed. In this context, this article analyzed the factors that influence the growth rate of sugarcane productivity in the regions of new agricultural expansions, specifically in the states of Mato Grosso do Sul and Goias. For the collection and data analysis, we used bibliographical and documentary research. The shift-share method was used to analyze the evolution of sugarcane production, through the decomposition of this variable into two factors: area effect and productivity effect. The results show that the increase in production in the region under analysis was mainly due to the incorporation of new planting areas and not to an increase in productivity. In addition, structural factors have negatively impacted crop performance. The analysis indicates that there is a slow rhythm of sugarcane fields’ renovation and the adoption of old varieties. Although the mechanization index is high in the studied regions, difficulties of technological adaptation still provide deficiency in the agricultural performance of sugarcane.

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Exploring the policy and social factors fueling the expansion and shift of sugarcane production in the Brazilian Cerrado

Cited by 45 publications

References 68 publications

Impact of Ethanol Plant Location on Corn Revenues for U.S. Farmers

Impact of Ethanol Plant Location on Corn Revenues for U.S. Farmers

Renovabio: Innovation and Sustainability at the New Brazilian Biofuels Policy or The Emperor’s New Clothes?

Analysis of the agricultural productivity of the sugarcane crop in regions of new agricultural expansions of sugarcane

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