After the pandemic, Brazil will have the opportunity to assume its status as a sustainable supplier of food, bioenergy and agroproducts to the world. However, it is necessary for the country to carry out strategic planning, which includes aspects related to costs, differentiation and collective actions.
The observation was made by the director of the National Agricultural Society (SNA) and professor at the University of São Paulo (USP/Ribeirão Preto), Marcos Fava Neves. According to him, the results of these efforts can be shared later in the context of “environmental agro-export”.
When recently participating in a videoconference organized by the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), the director of SNA and specialist in agricultural planning commented on the guidelines that should consolidate Brazil as a leader in supplying global markets.
Neves highlighted that, in relation to costs, the country needs to strengthen the processes of personnel training, innovation, technology, research and development, genetics 5.0 (plant engineering) and management per square meter of rural property “to allow greater precision in the application of inputs”. Improvements in the credit, financing and rural insurance sectors were also taken into consideration.
The USP professor also highlighted the need to search for “operational excellence”, aiming at the efficiency of institutions, production units and the judicial sector – in this case, in aspects such as speed of processes, respect for contracts, regulatory environment, among others.
Furthermore, Neves highlighted the need for investments in the digitalization of agriculture to improve production costs. According to him, the creation of applications for the sector favors 'home office', business and decision making.
A bottleneck in agribusiness, logistics is also on the agenda, according to the USP professor.
“It is necessary to invest in transport and storage infrastructure. Avoiding long journeys also favors sustainability, as well as local production (from the surrounding area) and the circular economy (when a by-product of an activity is reused as raw material in another production process)”.
Neves stated that “the country has a notable potential for differentiation in the global food supply, due to the excellence, quality and safety of its products”. According to him, the certified Brazilian product “offers a margin for those who buy, allowing resale and access to retail”.
Other factors cited by the SNA director, including services, research, brand identity, design, business success stories, process efficiency and leadership in production and export in many agricultural chains, generating income and inclusion, also make Brazil a market with a difference.
“Brazil contributes to reducing hunger in the world and is capable of producing food while conserving 2/3 of its area”, highlighted Neves. The orange juice chain, the expert said, “currently produces on 400 thousand hectares (before it was 600 thousand), manages to preserve around 180 thousand hectares and generates R$12 billion per year”.
However, the SNA director believes that some sectors could be more valued, such as bioenergy, for example. “Brazil is the country with the largest share of renewable fuels in the energy matrix. 45% of its energy sources are renewable. This should be explored further.”
The preservation of the Amazon is another aspect that, for Neves, deserves more attention. “The Amazon is a strong name for Brazil, and Brazilians of indigenous origin constitute a potential for the country, as well as indigenous work inserted in the economic model”.
A third factor pointed out by the SNA director, which, according to him, could contribute to Brazil positioning itself as a global food supplier, is the promotion of collective actions.
“Joint efforts will help the country achieve this position through organizations and the valorization of cooperatives, associations and strategic alliances. Post-pandemic, these organizations will return with much greater strength”, concluded Neves.
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