The Role of Policy Makers in the Formulation and Implementation of Public Policy for Brazilian Agriculture

Abstract

A processual approach to public policy analysis rather than the more common instrumental one can help us to understand the experience of policy makers involved in government programs related to rural Brazil and to evaluate the extent to which the implementation of rural policy is influenced by the networks and institutional environments in which administrators are engaged. A broader analytical framework for agrarian and agricultural policies, particularly those implemented during the two terms of the Lula administration (2003–2010), can be arrived at by examining the strategic political games in which public administrators were involved, the different forums in which these games were institutionalized (the spaces in which rural policies are created and implemented), and the institutional environments that structured and regulated the creation of these policies. Este trabalho aborda a experiência e a participação de gestores de políticas públicas envolvidos em programas governamentais relacionados ao meio rural brasileiro, visando compreender em que medida o ambiente institucional e as redes nas quais os mesmos estão inseridos condicionam o processo de implementação das ações observadas setorialmente, reforçando o emprego das análises de políticas públicas centradas na sua dimensão processual e não necessariamente instrumental, como é mais comum na literatura especializada. Focalizando os jogos políticos nos quais o corpo administrativo e técnico esteve envolvido (marcados por conflitos, barganhas e/ou negociações e envolvendo diversas administrações, grupos de interesses e outros stakeholders), os diferentes fóruns onde estes jogos foram institucionalizados (constituindo-se em loci privilegiados da produção e condução das políticas agrárias), e o ambiente institucional que estrutura e regula a produção destas políticas buscou-se desenhar um quadro mais amplo da análise de políticas agrárias e agrícolas, particularmente aquelas implementadas durante os dois mandatos do governo Lula (2003–2010).

Factors Influencing the Implementation of Agricultural Policy: A Case Study from Ghana’s Cocoa Diseases and Pests Control (CODAPEC) Program

“…Studies (Leite, 2016;Trappel, 2016;Balié and Narayanan, 2019) indicates many factors affect the implementation of agricultural programs and thereby affect the outcome variables. These factors include supportive policy environment, availability of resources, commitment of and skilfulness of implementing officials, clarity and consistent policy objectives, coordination of stakeholders among others.…”

“…There is no research, however, that investigate the implementation of the program and the associated factors. Few studies (Mengistie et al 2015;Leite, 2016) have examined specifically agricultural programs implementation in developing countries and more importantly, the success factors in Ghana. The question remains: why has CODAPEC program been unique from the earlier reforms in the same turbulent and unpredictable policy environment that the previous public investments failed to meet their expectations?…”

Narrative Disputes over Family-Farming Public Policies in Brazil: Conservative Attacks and Restricted Countermovements

“…As of 2003, the political reconfiguration engendered by the election of Lula gave a fundamental boost to this trajectory. Legitimized by their contribution to the political process, scholars, policy makers, and social leaders linked to family farming not only began to demand new policies and greater institutionalization but also became protagonists of those processes, occupying important state posts (Leite 2016).…”

Local-global linkages in the food regime: global history and the internationalization of Brazilian agribusiness

“…Vale 13 structure of policymaking changed little; the only difference was that the policymaking process became more institutionalized (Leite 2016).…”

“…The main characteristics of Brazilian agribusiness are the following: a highly competitive export agricultural sector (Hopewell 2014(Hopewell , 2016; a technologically advanced sector (Martha, Contini and Alves 2013); a segmented sector with policy networking (Leite 2016); and a growing power and autonomy of agricultural business elite (Hopewell 2014). In light of these characteristics, how does Brazil participate in the current global food regime?…”