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Brazil: Changing Global Agriculture. Mato Grosso. Cerrado Region of Brazil.
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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
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
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
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