PART I ALYSSON PAOLINELLI, THE VISIONARY
One of the most noteworthy social and economic facts in the The SDGs are recognized as important goals for establishing second half of the twentieth century was the unprecedented and maintaining peaceful societies, and at the core of the SDGs sustainable agricultural revolution realized in the tropics. This lies an understanding that human rights, peace and security, event, which took place from the 1970s changed the status of and development are interlinked and mutually reinforcing. food security in Brazil and worldwide. It was a peaceful Achieving achievements in any of the SDGs is thus considered revolution grounded in sustainability and led by a visionary crucial to achieving the achieve the overall goal of peaceful agricultural engineer called Alysson Paolinelli. He changed the sustainable development. status of food security in Brazil and the world. His work promoted sustainable development, which was fundamental to the ongoing peaceful development of societies in Brazil and throughout Latin America.
He devoted himself to this task all his life, always based on science, technology and innovation. Today, aged 84, he maintains his crusade for food system efficiency and continues to be an enthusiast for the contributions of tropical agriculture to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations. In the 1970s Brazil became a net importer of basic foods for its The tropical agricultural revolution promoted sustained population. Investment in science, technology and human economic growth and social improvement, as well as healthier capacity building laid the foundations for an agricultural lives and more wellbeing for the rural and urban population. revolution that guaranteed food self-sufficiency and a reduction Increased supply reduced the relative cost of food in household in the cost of food as a share of household expenditure. But budgets and freed up income for consumption of other goods, Brazil went further than this and is now the world’s invigorating the economy as a whole. It also stimulated the fourth-ranking producer and foremost exporter of basic foods interiorisation of development, creating jobs, income growth, food insecurity is a well-known to be a potential source of and an improvement in the Human Development Index (IDHM) conflict., and thus by improving food security in Brazil and of agriculture based municipalities. globally, Paolinelli’s work prevented conflict from happening. Paolinelli won the 2006 World Food Prize awarded by the To drive this leap forward in agriculture, Paolinelli prioritized Norman Borlaug Foundation for his significant contribution to science. He brought alive a system of tropical agricultural global food security. The World Food Prize website explains the research that was unique in the world. The flagship of this Foundation’s reasons for awarding the prize to Paolinelli: system was the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation “Prior to Paolinelli’s work, Brazil had to (Embrapa), the largest agricultural technology company in the import most of its food. But in the tropics. He also created the Brazilian Technical Assistance and decades after his agricultural production Rural Extension Corporation (Embrater), several programmes plan for the Cerrado region was of investment in agriculture and regional development, and developed, Brazil has become an international cooperation agreements supported by human important food exporter (...)” capital. As Minister of Agriculture (1974-1979) he created institutions, policies and organizations to transform traditional agriculture into modern. One of the most important was the Cerrado Development Programme (Polocentro). He launched the Japan-Brazil Cooperation Programme for the Agricultural Development of the Cerrados (Prodecer). Paolinelli participated in the creation of Proálcool (National Alcohol Program, 1975), the world’s first large-scale programme to produce renewable clean fuel from biomass. ALYSSON PAOLINELLI TIMELINE
1936 Birth of Alysson Paolinelli 1956 - 1958 President, Student Association, Lavras College of Agriculture (Esal) 1959 Graduated from Esal in agricultural engineering 1959 - 1990 Professor, Esal 1966 - 1967 Deputy Director, Esal 1967 - 1971 Director, Esal 1968 - 1969 President, Brazilian Association for Higher Education in Agriculture (Abeas) 1971 - 1974 Agriculture Secretary, Minas Gerais State
1974 - 1979 Agriculture Minister, Brazil
1979 - 1983 President, Minas Gerais State Bank (BEMGE)
1980 - 1982 President, Brazilian Association of State Commercial Banks (Asbace) 1982 - 1986 President, Minas Gerais Agricultural Society (SMA)
1987 - 1990 President, Brazilian Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock (CNA) 1987 - 1991 Federal Deputy participating in Constituent Assembly 1990 Chair, Expo 1990 Osaka Committee 1991 - 1994 Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply Secretary, Minas Gerais State 1992 - 1993 President, National Forum of Agriculture Secretaries 1995 - 1998 Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply Secretary, Minas Gerais State 2011 President, Brazilian Association of Corn Growers (Abramilho)
2012 Founder & President, Future Forum Institute 2019 Goodwill Ambassador in Gender and Rural Youth Issues, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)
2020 Luiz de Queiroz Professor of Integrated Agricultural Systems1, “Luiz de Queiroz” College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo (Esalq-USP)
1[https://www.esalq.usp.br/banco-de-noticias/alysson-pao- linelli-assume-c%C3%A1tedra-luiz-dequeiroz]. PART II LIFE AND WORK OF ALYSSON PAOLINELLI
Alysson Paolinelli was born on July 10, 1936, in Bambuí, a small town with 5,000 inhabitants some 270 km from Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais State. His father was an agricultural engineer responsible for setting up the Ministry of Agriculture’s local office. Paolinelli left his home town aged 15 to attend a secondary school in Lavras, Minas Gerais, where he also earned a degree in agricultural engineering, graduating from the Lavras College of Agriculture (Esal) in 1959. That same year he was appointed professor of hydraulics, irrigation and drainage at Esal. He led the process to have Esal federalized. Established in 1908, it was on the verge of closure due to financial problems at the foundation that provided its funding.
In 1973, another project bolstered Paolinelli’s fame the Upper Parnaíba Settlement Programme (Padap), implemented in partnership with the Cotia Agricultural Co-operative (CAC). The state’s policies for agriculture were so successful that they drew the attention of the federal government, leading the President of Brazil to invite Paolinelli to be his agriculture minister. Paolinelli took office in March 1974, opening a period of important policies for the modernization of agriculture and the development of the Brazilian countryside.
Sustainable tropical agriculture revolution
At the start of the 1970s, Brazil faced difficulties in providing In 1971, he was appointed Minas Gerais State Secretary for food for its population and frequently had a trade deficit in the Agriculture, with the challenge of implementing a new basic foods consumed at home. The Organization of Petroleum production system based on technology, farm loans and training Exporting Countries (OPEC) produced an oil price shock in for farmers. In the same year he created the Integrated Credit 1973, with a significant impact on the balance of payments. Programme (PCI) to finance rural properties in their entirety. The government and national leaders were forced to take stock Also in 1971, Paolinelli created the Minas Gerais Integrated of Brazil’s daunting food challenge. As Paolinelli recalls: Agricultural Research Programme (Pipaemg), the first initiative to coordinate and integrate the state’s agricultural research “Unless we could create systems for organisations. Its success inspired the creation of Embrapa by rational use of our tropical biomes, the federal government in late 1972. The success of Pipaemg we would be wiped off the map by also motivated the creation of the Minas Gerais Agricultural incompetence and failure to make Research Corporation (Epamig) in 1974. roper use of our natural resources.” Between 1975 and 2020, Brazilian production of cereal and oilseed crops jumped by a factor of 6.4 from 39.4 million tonnes to 251.9 million tonnes. The area planted merely doubled in the period, from 32.8 million hectares to 65.2 million hectares. More food, less use of natural resources and maintenance of a large quantity of areas conserved with their original plant cover intact. Despite the support it has given to the agricultural revolution, 54% of the Cerrado biome still has its natural cover intact.
Borlaug heralds “The second green revolution”
After serving as Agriculture Minister, Alysson Paolinelli headed the Minas Gerais State Bank (BEMGE) from 1979 to 1983. In the same decade he was Chairman of the Board at Fiat Allis Latino Americana (1983-86). He was elected to Congress as a Federal Deputy for Minas Gerais in 1987 and participated in the National Constituent Assembly that wrote Brazil’s new Federal Constitution, which was promulgated in 1988. At the same time, he was one of the organisers of the Broad Front for Brazilian Agriculture. As a One of Paolinelli’s earliest strategic moves as a member of the member of Congress, Paolinelli played a key role in drafting federal government involved the use of science to create Chapter III of the Federal Constitution, dealing with agricultural specific knowledge for tropical biomes. Embrapa had begun policy, land use and land reform. operating in 1973. Paolinelli arranged the resources to After his term in Congress, Paolinelli again served as Minas implement an ambitious training programme in the best higher Gerais State Secretary for Agriculture in two different but education institutions in Brazil and abroad. In 1974, Embrapa consecutive administrations (1991-94 and 1995-98), In 1994, had 872 researchers, 148 (17%) of whom had a master’s Paolinelli received once of the most important recognitions of degree (MSc) or doctorate (PhD). Currently Embrapa has 42 his life. While visiting Brazil to deliver a lecture, Norman decentralized units and 2,424 researchers, 84% of whom have Borlaug gave the press this statement: a doctorate or postdoctorate from universities in Brazil or abroad. “The Brazilian Cerrado is staging humanity’s second ‘Green Revolution’. To address the challenge, in 1975 Paolinelli also established Brazilian researchers have developed Polocentro, with novel agricultural policy mechanisms for the techniques that for 20 years have region, introducing infrastructure and technology to boost food converted an unproductive area into production. Embrapa Cerrados was set up to support the the world’s largest food reserve. programme with agricultural research and specific technology I want to take these techniques to diffusion for the region. Africa.” (Folha de S. Paulo, Dec. 13, Brazil achieved food self-sufficiency in the second half of the 1994). 1980s and steadily became a major food exporter. It also Paolinelli continued at the political and economic arena of became a leading player in sustainable agriculture aligned with Brazilian agriculture, opening up fresh prospects with his vision the UN’s SDGs. and leadership: executive president of the Brazilian Association of Corn Growers (Abramilho); president of the Future Forum Institute; IICA Goodwill Ambassador in Gender and Rural Youth, in 2019; “Luiz de Queiroz” Professor of Integrated Agricultural Systems at Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture (Esalq/USP). Alysson Paolinelli remains unstoppable. As a visionary, he never gives up building the future. In his own words: “The future will require an effort to conquer rational use of water, soil, plants, animals and climate. If these resources are properly managed, they will be able to meet whatever demand falls upon them with total security and sustainability. This will be the paramount task of any decent society that aims to use its natural resources with the knowledge and tools created by its intelligence and social conscience.” PART III RESULTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO BRAZIL AND THE WORLD
Alysson Paolinelli has always understood that improving the The efficiency gains achieved by farmers were passed on to wellbeing of the population is connected to the capacity to consumers. The cost of basic foods has fallen sharply as a produce enough food to meet domestic demand while share of the average household budget: in 2017-18 it was conserving its natural resources. 17.5% for all income groups, or about half as much as in 1974-75 (Table 1). For the poorest households (with the lowest He understood that improving the lives of the poor required income measured in multiples of the minimum wage), the heavy investment in knowledge acquisition and formation of improvement was even greater (SDG3)2. human capital, given the formidable social, economic and educational challenges faced by Brazil and other lowincome With production and productivity rising in Brazil, in conjunction countries. with upgrades to production systems and an ever-wider range of products on offer, the sustainable tropical agricultural 1. THE IMPACT OF THE BRAZILIAN revolution led to an improvement in the diet of all Brazilians. AGRICULTURAL SECTOR ON ECONOMIC, The results achieved comply with the requirements of SDG 2 SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY and SDG 3. The Municipal Human Development Index (IDHM) of 1,102 The changes led by Alysson Paolinelli in agriculture were municipalities in the Cerrado biome3. The overall IDHM for fundamental for Brazil to achieve food security. As an additional cities in the Cerrado rose 73.8% from 0.386 to 0.671 between benefit, they enabled other tropical countries to use the 1991 and 2010. In all other cities (outside the Cerrado) it rose technological capital generated to change their own agricultural 72.6% from 0.380 to 0.656. reality. Innovation, inclusion and decent work Ending hunger and poverty, and assuring wellbeing for all Paolinelli contributed to the creation and improvement of The contribution of the tropical agricultural revolution began institutions and public policies.For example, Padap and with basics: ending poverty (SDG 1), achieving food security Prodecer not only offered rural credit and technical assistance, and improving nutrition at socially acceptable prices (SDG 2). but also stimulated settlement by means of farm coops that Without food security there is no peace, no strength for human facilitated migration from other parts of Brazil, especially the beings to live, work and develop in society. Without the power South and Southeast. of supply developed by Brazil in recent decades, its food Paolinelli was always an enthusiast of encouraging rural self-sufficiency would be improbable; moreover, the world’s producers to join co-ops and other grassroots organisations. food supply would be smaller and its price higher. The co-operative movement is covered by specific provisions of The simulations based on Food and Agriculture Organisation of the Federal Constitution promulgated in 1988. Co-ops facilitate United Nations (FAO) data permitted two fundamental technology transfer and economic and social inclusion. conclusions: Organisation in associations, unions and co-ops promotes inclusive and sustainable growth, full employment, and decent • Global food prices would have risen 66% between 1971 and productive work (SDG 8). 2016 if there had not been an increase in production by tropical agriculture; The vertical integration model in poultry and pig farming began developing most vigorously in the 1970s. Thus the organisation • In Brazil, food prices would now be 19.4% higher without the of associations, unions and co-ops, in conjunction with the additional supply deriving from the agricultural revolution led by integration model, drove innovation and sustainability in the Alysson Paolinelli. structures of Brazilian agriculture (SDG 9).
Table 1. Brazil: Food as a share of the average household budget by income group (multiples of minimum wage per month), 1974-75 to 2017-18 (in %)
More than 15 Period Total Up to 2 MW 2-3 MW 3-10 MW 10-15 MW MW 1974 -1975* 33.9 1987 - 1988 25.3 44.1 41.3 34.6 28.7 21.3 1995 - 1996 23.4 35.2 37.1 30.2 24.2 20.4 2002 - 2003 20.8 34.5 31.9 24.8 19.4 15.1 2008 - 2009 19.8 29.6 27.0 21.7 17.3 13.8 2017 - 2018 17.5 23.8 21.3 18.2 15.6 12.6 Reduction (in p.p.) -16.4 -20.3 -20.0 -16.4 -13.2 -8.7
Source: POF-IBGE8 | Table by Wedekin Consultores * National Household Budget Survey (ENDEF) | p.p. = percentage points | MW = minimum wage
3 2 The minimum wage is established by law. It corresponded to about USD 185 per The IDHM was introduced by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) month in October 2020. in 1990. It was based on the work of economists Mahbub ul Haq and Amartya Sem. Bioenergy pioneering
Brazil’s first major advance in terms of achieving a cleaner The set of these reducing GHG-technologies is fostered by the energy mix (SDG 7) began with a strategy to substitute Sectoral Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Plan for the gasoline for ethanol from sugarcane on a large scale under the Consolidation of a Low-Carbon Economy in Agriculture (Plano aegis of the Proácool. ABC), introduced in 2010 (Table 2). The origin and conceptual basis of the National Biofuel Policy (Renovabio), in 2017 (SDG 13). This is a framework policy designed to promote the expansion of biofuel strategies and programmes in line with SDG 7 (clean and affordable energy). Ethanol consumption reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more than 535 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent between 2003 and the start of 2019. More than 4 billion native trees would have to be planted in the next 20 years to achieve the same 4 reduction in CO2 . Proálcool was always about wellbeing for all, especially by improving air quality (SDG 3, health and wellbeing). Furthermore, the bioenergy sector represents job creation, decent work, and inclusive, sustainable and innovation-based industrial development (SDG 8 and SDG 9, decent work and economic growth).
The climate agenda
Another legacy of Paolinelli’s tropical agricultural revolution was a series of technological solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture, including no-till farming, production integration, biological nitrogen fixation, rehabilitation of degraded pasture, and livestock waste management, among others5. The no-till system promotes soil management by means of recommended techniques to raise productivity while conserving or continuously improving the cultivation environment It is currently used on 33.1 million hectares, or about 54% of the total area planted with grain crops.
Table 2. Brazil: Plano ABC – commitments and results, 2010-20 (in millions of hectares and million Mg CO2e
Agricultural Commitment 2010-20 Results 2010-18 Grand total
Subprogrammes – technological processes Area Potential mitigation Area Potential mitigation Current area
(million ha) (million Mg CO2 eq) (million ha) (million Mg CO2 eq) (million ha)
Rehabilitation of degraded pasture 15.0 83 - 104 10.44 39.5 - 57.5 10.4 Integrated crop-livestock-forest system 4.0 18 - 22 5.83 22.1 a 36.4 12.6 No-till farming 8.0 16 - 20 12.72 23.28 32.8 Biological nitrogen fixation 5.5 10.0 10.64 17.9 a 19.4 33.9 Planted forests 3.0 - 0.71 25.3 7.8 Livestock waste management (million m3) 4.4 milion m3 6.9 38.3 milion m3 391.2 Not applicable Total (area) 35.5 133.9 - 162.9 40.4 105.4 a 168.9 -
Source: MANZATTO, C. V. et al. (2020) | Chart by Wedekin Consultores
4 ÚNICA (2019), “Uso do etanol evitou a emissão de 535 milhões de toneladas 5MINISTÉRIO DA AGRICULTURA, PECUÁRIA E ABASTECIMENTO (MAPA), “Plano de CO2EQ em 16 anos”. Available at:
9 Integrated production systems comprise various combinations The land-sparing effect of the tropical agricultural revolution depending on the region and type of land tenure. The area in also represents alignment with SDG 11 and SDG 12, because which ICLF systems were adopted in Brazil soared from 1.9 of its contribution to conservation of natural plant cover and million hectares to 15.0 million hectares between 2005 and mitigation of the greenhouse effect. 2018 (Figure 1)6.
Figure 1. Brazil: Area farmed with ICLF systems, 2005-18 (in millions of hectares)
15.0
11.5 10.3 9.1 7.9 6.7 5.5 4.8 4.1 3.3 2.6 1.9
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2018
Source: KLEFFMAN GROUP (Rede de Fomento iLPF)| Chart by Wedekin Consultores
Brazil has innovated and developed technology and systems 2. CONTRIBUTION TO THE EXPANSION OF FOOD adapted to the climate of the tropics. The outcome has been PRODUCTION AND GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY enhanced land use with different combinations of production systems during the year. This has increased the production of The country shifted from traditional agriculture to a modern grains, beef and planted forests, with undeniable environmental system with economies of scale and a diversified product mix, benefits. jumping to fourth place in the rank order of food producers in The actions of Plano ABC are incentivised by a specific policy the period 2011-16, with 5.5% of total food output. Brazil lags of rural credit for investment, entitled Programme to Reduce only China with 23.7%, the US with 13.3%, and India with 7 6.8%. In the 1960s Brazil accounted for 2.0% of world food Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Agriculture (Programa ABC) . 8 The programme finances investment in practices that favour production . the development of sustainable agriculture and is directly Another relevant point is that low- and mediumincome aligned with SDGs 8, 9, 10, 13, 15 and 17. countries became the main destinations for Brazilian exports, led by China and Middle Eastern countries, in the period Land-sparing effect 2015-17 (Table 3). This contrasts sharply with the 1980s, when Brazil’s food exports went mostly to developed countries in The tropical agricultural revolution led by Paolinelli spared 77.5 Europe, as well as Japan and the US. million hectares for the production of cereal and oilseed crops between 1990 and 2018. According to FAO, Brazil produced 55.5 million tonnes on 32.6 million hectares in 1990, for an average yield of 1.7 tonnes per hectare. Brazil’s cereal and oilseed crop totalled 230.6 million tons in 2018. In comparison with 1961 (the first year in the FAO time series), the landsparing effect was 128 million hectares.
6KLEFFMAN GROUP (2019), “ILPF em números”. Available at:
1981-1990 1991-2000 2001-2010 2011-2017 2015-2017 Rank Country Share Country Share Country Share Country Share Country Share 1 Netherlands 20.3% Netherlands 20.7% China 16.7% China 33.9% China 37.6% 2 USA 20.0% USA 7.8% Russia 8.6% Saudi Arabia 4.0% Saudi Arabia 3.9% 3 Japan 6.6% Japan 5.4% Netherlands 7.0% Russia 3.7% Iran 3.6% 4 Spain 4.7% China 5.4% Iran 4.2% Japan 3.5% Egypt 3.2% 5 Iran 3.9% Russia 4.2% Spain 3.8% Egypt 3.2% Japan 3.0% 6 Italy 3.8% UK 4.0% Japan 3.8% Iran 3.2% Netherlands 2.6% 7 UK 3.5% Spain 3.9% Saudi Arabia 3.8% Netherlands 2.8% Un. Arab Emirates 2.5% 8 Saudi Arabia 3.4% Saudi Arabia 3.8% Un. Arab Emirates 2.5% Un. Arab Emirates 2.6% Russia 2.4% 9 Iraq 3.3% Iran 3.8% Germany 2.5% Spain 2.5% India 2.3% 10 China 2.9% Germany 3.6% Egypt 2.4% Hong Kong 2.3% Hong Kong 2.3%
Source: FAO | Chart by Wedekin Consultores
Guarantor of World Food Security
One of the most noteworthy facts of recent decades is the shift Although sustainability for Brazil is the main economic in world agriculture, previously dominated by production in consequence of this shift in agriculture, it has enabled Brazil to mainly temperate countriesIn the case of exports, the share of meet demand for food from low- and middle-income countries tropical countries rose from 21.7% of the total in the 1970s to with competitively priced products, an achievement aligned with 39.2% in the period 2011-17 (Figure 2). SDGs 1, 2 and 3.
In the past two decades Brazil stood out as the most dynamic food exporter, accounting for 20.5% of the increase in internationally traded food (Table 4). Brazil overtook the US, the leading supplier of food to the world until the 1990s.
Figure 2. Shares of temperate and tropical agriculture in value of world food exports l
21.7% 22.0% 22.4% a 23.8% c 33.2% i 39.2% p o r T e t a r e p m e
78.3% 78.0% 77.6% 76.2% 66.8% 60.8% T
1961-1970 1971-1980 1981-1990 1991-2000 2001-2010 2011-2017
Annual average of total exports in decade (US$ billion) 88,7 | 186,5 | 167,2 | 154,8 | 215,2 | 364,1
Fonte: FAO | Elaboração: Wedekin Consultores
Table 4. Top ten countries by contribution to growth in world food exports (in %)
Indo- Argen- Period Brazil USA India Ukraine Australia Russia Malaysia Thailand Top 10 nesia tina 1971 – 1980 6.3 34.9 0.8 0.4 n.d. 6.0 n.d. 2.4 2.1 1.8 54.7 1981 – 1990 1.4 65.8 1.3 0.3 n.d. 8.0 n.d. 5.1 -6.3 -4.0 71.6 1991 – 2000 -16.2 71.4 -7.5 -9.8 n.d. 3.3 n.d. -2.5 -15.7 -3.5 19.4 2001 – 2010 30.9 7.2 4.5 10.3 2.0 0.9 3.7 9.8 6.4 2.1 77.8 2011 – 2016 20.3 12.5 7.9 7.5 4.4 4.2 3.3 2.8 2.6 2.5 67.8
Total Period 20.5 12.8 5.1 6.8 n.d. 3.7 n.d. 4.6 5.0 2.8 61.5
Source: FAO | Chart by Wedekin Consultores PART IV THE SEVEN LABOURS OF PAOLINELLI
Alysson Paolinelli’s many activities and contributions to the of Research and Experimentation (DNPEA), which ceased to development of Brazil and the world can be didactically exist. Embrapa now entered its operational phase and began grouped into seven “labours”, or major achievements. running the entire agricultural research system in the federal sphere11. 1. CREATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF ORGANISATIONS FOR RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY During his five-year term as Agriculture Minister (ending in TRANSFER March 1979), Embrapa set up 26 of the 43 research centres that exist today (decentralised units in the current From an early age, Paolinelli was fascinated by science. nomenclature). The centres created at the time covered the main products of Brazilian agriculture, as well as certain regions The fight for education in Brazil and the saga of Esal’s (western Amazonia, Acre) and biomes or ecosystems (forest, federalization and Cerrado). To support development of the Cerrado, Embrapa established At Esal, Paolinelli’s leadership grew rapidly. He was soon five research centres in the region: Cerrados, Corn & Sorghum, elected president of the student association (1956-58). Shortly Rice & Beans, Beef Cattle, Vegetables. It also maintained a after graduating, he was invited to join the faculty as a lecturer Basic Seed Production Service (SPSB) and ten experiment in hydraulics, irrigation and drainage. This was at a time when stations for the states spanned by the Cerrado biome. Embrater the institution was embroiled in a serious financial crisis. The set up 110 rural extension branches to assist 35,000 farmers crisis faced by Esal worsened, and Paolinelli was even more and installed 89 demonstration fields12. essential in this battle. It proposed transferring the college to the state or federal government. Creation of Embrater to transfer technology to producers Eudes de Souza Leão Pinto, an agronomist and professor at the Ministry of Education (MEC), was sent to Lavras to propose Following the organisation of agricultural research activities via closing the college and reallocating lecturers and students to Embrapa, the next step was to structure technical assistance other higher education institutions. He decided to ask the and rural extension for technology transfer and training of rural Education Minister to support Paolinelli. producers. Esal was transferred to the federal government in December 1963. Paolinelli’s career at Esal continued. He was Deputy Director (1966-67) and third Director of the institution (1967-71) after the federalization. In 1994, Esal became the Federal University of Lavras (UFLA). His actions have won recognition. His name sounds out in the last verse of ESAL’s anthem, published in O Agrário in 1967. The composer was Inah Penido9:
“Hoje tu tens Paulinelli, “Today thou hast Paolinelli, Jovem, audaz, varonil Young, bold and virile, Abrindo teus horizontes Opening up your horizons, Para a glória do Brasil" For the glory of Brazil.”
Creation of Pipaemg, seedbed for Embrapa and Epamig
Paolinelli’s successes at Esal led to his being appointed Minas Gerais State Secretary for Agriculture by Governor Rondon Pacheco (1971-74). One of Paolinelli’s key contributions was Pipaemg, created on December 3, 197110. Pipaemg can be considered the embryo of To this end Agriculture Minister Paolinelli led the establishment Embrapa. The programme’s positive results led to creation of of the Embrater by Law 6126, dated November 6, 1974. Epamig on May 8, 1974. Epamig took over the management Embrater was directed to work with the technical assistance and and coordination of agricultural research in the state under the rural extension bodies linked to the agriculture departments of aegis of an agreement with Embrapa. state governments. Embrater achieved noteworthy progress for two decades, but Embrapa rapid expansion with the creation of new research hyperinflation in the late 1980s and Brazil’s fiscal crisis led to its centers closure in April 1990. The state corporations continued to operate. When the Agriculture Minister was Luiz Fernando Cirne Lima, the federal government was authorized by Law 5851, dated December 7, 1972, to set up Embrapa at the end of 1973, Embrapa incorporated the structure of the National Department
11 EMPRESA BRASILEIRA DE PESQUISA AGROPECUÁRIA (Embrapa), “História da Embrapa”. Available at: https://www.embrapa.br/memoria-embrapa/aembrapa.
9 Cf. ANDRADE, Thiago de Oliveira, “Memória e história institucional: o processo de 12WAGNER, Elmar, “O Programa de desenvolvimento dos cerrados e sua constituição da Escola Superior de Agricultura de Lavras-ESAL (1892- 1938)”, contribuição à produção de grãos e proteína animal”, Embrapa,1982. Available at: master’s dissertation, Lavras, MG, 2006. https://www.embrapa.br/busca-de-publicacoes/-/publica- cao/547289/o-programa-de-desenvolvimento-dos-cerrados-e-suacontribuicao-a-prod 10 EPAMIG, “História da Pipaemg”. Available at:
12 Over time, the co-ops, processors and distributors of inputs and The Integrated Credit Program (1971) farm associations played an increasingly important part in the provision of technical assistance to rural producers. He waged his first battle after becoming Agriculture Secretary for Minas Gerais to get the federal government to change the Creation of Minas Gerais State Institute of Agriculture (IMA) rules governing rural credit, which financed production and not projects. In response to Paolinelli’s lobbying, Brazilian Central Alysson Paolinelli again served as Minas Gerais State Bank (BCB) authorized BDMG to implement and control a Secretary for Agriculture in 1991-94 and 1995-98. One of his groundbreaking initiative, PCI Programme, in 1971. initiatives was creation of the IMA, set up to modernize the The concept of sustainability had also begun to gather existing structures in the state. momentum. The point of the initiative was to create projects specifically designed to avoid the loss of natural resources. IMA plans and executes animal and plant production and health programmes, oversees trading in and use of farm inputs and “The PCI was historically important produce, inspects and certifies animal and plant products, because it was the first major action to supports family farming and agribusiness, and promotes public develop the Cerrado and served as a health education. basic strategy for subsequent federal programmes13”. 2. CONSTRUCTION OF PUBLIC POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES FOR AGRICULTURAL AND REGIONAL Pipaemg (1971) DEVELOPMENT In launching Pipaemg, Paolinelli assembled a team of young Alysson Paolinelli formulated and implemented a number of researchers, university rectors and teachers of agrarian public policies for the development of agriculture with positive sciences to boost agricultural research in the state. Today’s impacts on Brazilian regions. universities in Minas Gerais include offspring of the program such as the Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), the Federal Rural credit is the main agricultural policy instrument in Brazil. University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and the Federal University The National Rural Credit System (SNCR) was instituted by a of Viçosa (UFV). federal law in 1964 and has been upgraded over time. Paolinelli created programmes and, in his various public positions, made very skilful use of rural credit to boost modernization and raise productivity and production in Brazilian agriculture.
To this end Agriculture Minister Paolinelli led the establishment of the Embrater by Law 6126, dated November 6, 1974. Embrater was directed to work with the technical assistance and rural extension bodies linked to the agriculture departments of state governments. Embrater achieved noteworthy progress for two decades, but hyperinflation in the late 1980s and Brazil’s fiscal crisis led to its closure in April 1990. The state corporations continued to operate.
13 32. SILVA, Lilian Leandro, “O papel do estado no processo de ocupação das áreas de Cerrado entre as décadas de 60 e 80”, Caminhos da Geografia (online journal), Instituto de Geografia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU), Dec/2000. Available at: http://www.seer.ufu.br/index.php/caminhosdegeografia/article/- view/15251/8552
13 The Pipaemg experience shows the importance of productive In response to the low productivity of Brazil’s beef and dairy relations between the Agriculture Department and universities herds, entailing insufficient supply of the produce concerned, to supply human capital, develop innovative technology, several lines of credit were created in the mid-sixties to finance conduct research and development, identify the problems faced investment in all stages of cattle production. While Paolinelli by farmers, and disseminate knowledge and technical was Agriculture Minister, these lines were brought together and assistance to solve them14. upgraded in the National Cattle Development Programme (Propec), created by BCB Circular 334 on January 26, 1977. Upper Paranaíba Settlement Programme (Padap, 1973) Beef production was considerably modernised According to the Paolinelli played an even more significant role in Padap, US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Brazil is the world’s implemented in 1973. Japanese immigrants settled in the area second-largest producer and the largest exporter of beef. with organization by CAC. Service as a Federal Deputy and Member of the National “State participation was decisive for the Constituent Assembly implementation and good functioning of Padap, which became a model for other On February 1, 1987, the National Constituent Assembly was projects to settle farmers in the installed to draft a democratic new Federal Constitution for Cerrado15.” Brazil. With the support of the Broad Front, Federal Deputy Alysson Paolinelli contributed significantly to the drafting of “O estabelecimento de redes sociais de Chapter III of the new Constitution, which deals with agricultural ajuda e informação (como as policy, land tenure and land reform. The movement combated associações e cooperativas agrícolas) e the hegemony of the economic ministries, seeking to transfer to as redes familiares possibilitaram a Congress the power to define agricultural policy, and to mudança para sistemas de uso do solo strengthen the Ministry of Agriculture. de maior retorno ao disponibilizarem informação (conhecimento técnico) e 3. INVESTMENT IN SCIENCE AND HUMAN CAPITAL AS KEY recursos (crédito e dinheiro), capazes de FACTORS IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT substituir ou complementar a mão de obra familiar na adoção de sistemas 16 The strategy adopted by Paolinelli was aligned with the comercialmente mais rentáveis .” precepts of Theodore Schultz, judging by the following quotation from Eliseu Alves, Embrapa’s director of Human Japan-Brazil Cooperation Programme for the Resources in 1973-79 and its president in 1975-85: Development of the Cerrados (Prodecer, 1974) “Two recommendations followed from Prodecer was launched by a joint communiqué in September Schultz: invest in education of the rural 1974, in the presence of Kakuei Tanaka, Prime Minister of population, for obvious reasons and to Japan, and Ernesto Geisel, President of Brazil. The Japanese change the relationship of preference government placed great importance on this financial and between leisure and work; and prioritise technical co-operation. The programme was coordinated by the investment in new sources of income, Agricultural Promotion Company (Campo), set up in 1978. The and in products and inputs. In sum, three stages of Prodecer involved settlement projects for some investment in technology was required to 750 families on 350,000 hectares, mostly in the Cerrado biome raise the rate of return on capital, 19 17. including human capital. .”
Cerrado Development Programme (Polocentro, 1975) 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION PROGRAMMES Polocentro was established by Decree 75,320 on January 29, 1975, and BCB Circular 259, dated June 19, 1975. The Alysson Paolinelli has always striven to establish partnerships programme made a major contribution to the development and with organisations and companies in Brazil and To take just a modernisation of agriculture in the Cerrado, starting with 12 few examples: selected areas in the Centre-West region and western Minas Gerais. The original budget for 1975-77 was 12 billion • Padap, a groundbreaking assisted settlement programme cruzeiros, corresponding in December 2019 to BRL 29.8 billion executed in partnership with the CAC; (USD 7.3 billion)18. • Prodecer, established by the Brazilian government in co-operation with the Japanese government; National Cattle Development Programme (Propec, 1977) • Project Jaíba, implemented with the support of Japan Bank for The beef economy in Brazil has always had to live with pricing International Cooperation (JBIC); ups and downs in the so-called cattle cycle. • Partnerships with companies and private-sector institutions.
14 VILELA, Evaldo, “A modernização da pesquisa agrícola brasileira: O caso de 17Cf. COMPANHIA DE PROMOÇÃO AGRÍCOLA (CAMPO), “Prodecer”. Available at: Minas Gerais,” Fórum do Futuro (Oct. 1, 2012). Available at: https://www.forumdofu- http://www.campo.com.br/proceder/ turo.org/ciencia-e-tecnologia/a-moderni- 18WEDEKIN, Ivan et al, Política Agrícola no Brasil – O agronegócio na zacao-da-pesquisa-agricolabrasileira-o-caso-de-minas-gerais perspectiva global, WDK Agronegócio Ltda (2019). Calculated by adjusting 12 bn cruzeiros for inflation according to the IGP-DI index (FGV) between June 1975, 15 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX when the programme was launched, and December 2018, and from then to 16 Cf. SANTOS, Mauro Augusto dos, “Dinâmica demográfica e uso da terra no December 2019 using the same index and the year-end USDBRL exchange rate. cerrado brasileiro: reflexões a partir da experiência do Padap”, Rev. Econ. Sociol. 19 Rural, vol. 50 no.2, Brasília, Apr/Jun. 2012. Available at: https://www.scielo.br/scie- ALVES, Eliseu, “O Agronegócio e o Professor T. W. Schultz”, in WEDEKIN, Ivan et lo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0103-20032012000200007 al., Política Agrícola no Brasil – O Agronegócio na perspectiva global, WDK Agronegócio Ltda (2019).
14 5. INCORPORATION OF THE CERRADOS INTO THE 6. CREATING BIOENERGY PROGRAMMES WITH A GLOBAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION PROCESS: IMPACT SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION FOR FOOD SECURITY Paolinelli participated in the 1975 implementation of Proálcool, Incorporation of the Cerrado as a dynamic hub of agricultural the world’s first programme to produce fuel from biomass. production is an example for Brazil and the world. With science Following the success of Proálcool, Renovabio is opening up and technology, it has been possible to rehabilitate unused new windows of opportunity for improved policies to increase areas with nutrient-poor, acidic soil and make them highly the supply of biofuels for use by Brazil and the world. productive. Paolinelli is the visionary leader who demonstrated this possibility. 7. FORMULATING AND PROPOSING NEW PARADIGMS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE FUTURE The importance of agriculture to the 1,102 municipalities located in the Cerrado biome can be calculated using data from Paolinelli is an indefatigable participant in the construction of a IBGE, Brazil’s national bureau of statistics and census. In the better future for humanity. He is currently working to further the period 1974-2019, the area planted with temporary and following initiatives: permanent crops throughout Brazil rose from 38.1 million hectares to 79.7 million hectares. The Cerrado’s share of the • Project Tropical Biomes, developed by the Future Forum total rose from 19.0% to 42.0% in the period. Institute, which he heads; Soybean growing was once concentrated in the South, where it • Sustainable intensification of natural resource use; began in Brazil, but has steadily expanded in the Cerrado, which accounted for 46.0% of production in 2019. In the case of • Increasing value-added in agribusiness production chains; corn, the Cerrado accounted for almost half, compared with 21.1% in 1974 (Figure 3). Cotton is the most spectacular • Strengthening of the bioeconomy by building bridges between example of the migration of production to the Cerrado, which sustainability and productivity to benefit farmers’ incomes and accounted in 2019 for 93% of national output. meet the needs of consumers;
Figure 3. Brazil: Production of selected crops (in millions of tonnes) and the Cerrado’s share (in %)
Brazilian production 7.9 113.5 16.3 100.6 1.5 6.9 1.9 3.0
100% 93.0%
80%
60% 46.0% 49.0% 40% 26.3% 25.1% 21.1% 20% 13.0% 8.4%
0% 1974 2019 1974 2019 1974 2019 1974 2019
Soybean Maize Cotton Coffee
Notes: cotton (fiber and seed); coffee, green | Source: IBGE (PAM and LSPA) | Chart by Wedekin Consultores.
In the case of coffee, the Cerrado’s share practically doubled in • Promoting a circular economy for garbage control and the period, rising from 13.0% to 25.1% of the total. reduced wastefulness.
The Brazilian case sets other tropical countries with available • Empowering family farmers, young people and women. savanna areas an example for the future establishment of a flourishing agricultural sector capable of meeting domestic demand and helping other countries to do so. “We need organisation to get where we want to go, defining strategies and pointing public and private agents in the desired direction. This is what has happened in the Cerrado biome.”
15 PART V PAOLINELLI IN THE VANGUARD OF HIS TIME
Paolinelli as a man and as a professional has always believed in tropical agriculture’s development potential. He is a visionary and a prime mover, and his transformative role surpasses the various positions in which he has served in public life. The history humanity set out to write in the early twenty-first century shows how closely Paolinelli is attuned to the vanguard of his time. The first target under SDG 2 states: “By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round”. Starting from these premises, the Project aims to make sure Paolinelli is well aware that there is still a long road ahead. that the decision to produce is always preceded by His current projects emphasize the importance of policies, identification and painstaking verification of the limits to knowledge and technology for small properties engaged in sustainable use of the resources available in each biome. family subsistence farming. As Paolinelli says: Paolinelli puts forward this appeal:
“We will have to make an extra effort “Consumers in the rich countries, because by 2050 Brazil must produce at especially young people, are very least 2.4 times what it produces now. demanding as far as food quality and Other tropical countries will also have to appearance are concerned. We have to raise production. This is no easy task make sure small farmers understand this without determination. It is mostly up to so that they produce high-quality foods us to make this future happen.” that are as natural as possible. But they need support to take advantage of this Via these initiatives and looking to the future, Alysson Paolinelli opportunity.” is once again putting on Brazil’s agribusiness agenda the goals At the Future Forum Institute, which he heads, he is leading of income generation, well-being, poverty and social inequality Project Tropical Biomes, which challenges the incumbent reduction, and better health for people in town and country. paradigms and offers a new way forward to grow food supply Paolinelli has taught the world a crucial lesson: it is possible to under the banner of sustainability. conduct a veritable scientific and technological revolution in favour of people and in harmony with the environment and to promote peace. COORDINATING COMMITTEE
DURVAL DOURADO NETO graduated in agricultural engineering from Industry Association (UNICA) and chairs the São Paulo State Union of the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV, 1984) and earned a master’s Alcohol Manufacturers. degree in agricultural engineering from the University of São Paulo’s “Luiz de Queiroz” College of Agriculture (Esalq/USP, 1989). He has a JOÃO MARTINS DA SILVA JUNIOR graduated in business soil physics specialist diploma from the International Centre for administration from the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA). Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Trieste, Italy (1989), and a PhD in He founded and served as first treasurer of the Bahia Association of agricultural engineering from Esalq/USP (1992). He attended a Dairy Cooperatives (CCLB). He is a former acting chair of the Bahia postdoctoral course in soil physics and agricultural modeling at the Association of Livestock Breeders (ABAC), and former director, first University of California (1995). He is currently professor of plant science vice-president and president (2000-18) of the Bahia State Federation of at Esalq/USP (since 2006), where he has taught full time since 1992. Agriculture and Livestock (FAEB). In the same period, he chaired the After serving as head of department and coordinator of postgraduate board of the Bahia section of the National Rural Learning Service programmes, he became Esalq/USP’s Vice-Director (2015-18) and (SENAR/BA) and the board of SEBRAE Bahia. He served as first VP of Director (2019-22). He has professional experience in almost all the Brazilian Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock (CNA, 2012-15) Brazilian states and in 51 countries. and became its Chair in 2015. In September 2017, he was elected CNA Chair for the period 2017-21. He is the founder and president of ROBERTO RODRIGUES graduated in agricultural engineering from Agropecuária João Martins S.A. Esalq/USP (1965). He is a farmer, Head of Getulio Vargas Foundation’s Agribusiness Research Centre (GV Agro) and FAO Special Ambassador MANUEL OTERO holds an M.Sc. in agricultural development from the for Co-operatives. He is a member of many corporate, institutional and University of London (UK), a master’s degree in animal production from academic boards. He is a former professor in the Rural Economics the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE, Department of São Paulo State University (Unesp) at Jaboticabal-SP. Costa Rica) and a degree in veterinary medicine from the University of He is a former Chair of the Agribusiness Council of the Federation of Buenos Aires’s School of Veterinary Sciences (Argentina). He served in Industries of State of São Paulo Agribusiness Council (COSAG-FIESP), Washington D.C. as agricultural attach. representing the Ministry of the Organisation of Brazilian Co-operatives (OCB), the Brazilian Rural Agriculture of Argentina and was Vice-President of Argentina’s National Society (SRB), the Brazilian Agribusiness Association (ABAG) and the Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA). He began his career at the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA, 1997-2001). He is a former Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in 1988. São Paulo State Agriculture Secretary (1993-94) and a former Brazilian He has worked as an Advisor to the Director General, Director of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply Minister (MAPA, 2003-06). He is Programming and Evaluation, Director of the Andean Regional Centre, the author of nine books about co-operatives and agricultural policy. Representative to Uruguay and Representative to Brazil. In 2017 he was elected Director General of the IICA for 2018-22. His EVALDO FERREIRA VILELA graduated in agricultural engineering from primary mission is to promote the agricultural and rural development of UFV (1971). He holds a master’s degree in entomology from USP and a its 34 Member States through technical cooperation of excellence, with PhD in chemical ecology from the University of Southampton in the UK. a view to strengthening agriculture, rural well-being in the Americas and At UFV, he was Rector (2000-04), department head, Director of the the fulfillment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Centre for Biological and Health Sciences, and creator and coordinator (SDGs). of postgraduate programmes in entomology and animal biology. He is a founding member of the Centre for Biotechnology Applied to Agriculture (Bioagro). He has published more than 100 indexed scientific articles MÁRCIO LOPES DE FREITAS graduated in administration from the and served research internships at the Universities of Tsukuba (Japan), University of Brasília (UNB, 1981). He joined the co-op movement in California Davis (USA) and Erlangen-Nürnberg (Germany). He is a 1994, chairing the Coffee Growers and Farmers Co-operative (Cocap) former member of the Board of Trustees, Director and President and Rural Credit Cooperative (Credicocapec). He chaired the São Paulo (2015-20) of the Minas Gerais Research Foundation (Fapemig), former State Organisation of Co-operatives (OCESP, 1997-2001). Since 2001, Minas Gerais State Assistant Secretary for Science, Technology and he has chaired OCB and the National Co-operative Movement Learning Higher Education (2007-14), and former Chair of the National Council of Service (Sescoop). Since 2005, he has chaired the National State Research Foundations (Confap, 2019-20). He is a member of the Confederation of Co-operatives (CNCOOP). Since 2008, he has been Brazilian Academy of Sciences and has been awarded a Medal of the Americas VP of the International Co-operative Agricultural Organisation National Order of Scientific Merit. He is currently Chair of the National (ICAO), a specialised body of the International Co-operative Alliance Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). (ICA). He is a coffee grower, an organic horticulturist and a beef cattle producer.
FRANCISCO MATTURRO graduated in business administration from the University of Araraquara (Uniara, 1974) and is an entrepreneur. MÔNIKA BERGAMASCHI graduated in agricultural engineering from He is a former director of Marchesan lmplementos e Máquinas Unesp, Jaboticabal-SP (1992). She has a master’s degree in Agrícolas and a former President of the Farm Machinery and agroindustrial production engineering from the Federal University of Implements Section of the Brazilian Machinery and Equipment Industry São Carlos (UFSCar, 2000), and an MBA in business economics with Association (CSMIA-Abimaq). He is currently Vice-President of ABAG, a emphasis on co-operatives from the University of São Paulo’s School of member of COSAG-FIESP and President of Agrishow, one of the Economics, Administration and Accounting (FEA-USP). She is a former world’s argest agricultural trade fairs. São Paulo State Secretary for Agriculture and Supply (2011-14). She is currently Executive Secretary of Instituto CNA, chairs ABAG in Ribeirão Preto, and is Executive President of the Brazilian Institute for JACYR COSTA FILHO graduated in civil engineering and business Agribusiness Innovation and Sustainability (IBISA). administration with a major in marketing from the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland. He has more than 30 years of experience in the sugar and energy industry, where he has led such companies as Guarani, Brasil Álcool and SCA Brazil Ethanol. He ic currently a member of the global executive committee of Grupo Tereos. He participates actively in various industry bodies. He is a director of FIESP and has chaired COSAG/FIESP since September 2016. He is a member of the board of the Brazilian cane TECHNICAL TEAM, RESEARCH AND WRITING
IVAN WEDEKIN (COORDINATOR) graduated in agricultural FERNANDA KESROUANI LEMOS holds a PhD in administration from engineering from the “Luiz de Queiroz” College of Agriculture FEA-USP (2017), a master’s in production engineering from POLI-USP (Esalq/USP, 1974) and is director of Wedekin Consultores. He is a (2014), an MBE from FGV-SP and a degree in business management former Secretary for Agricultural Policy at the Brazilian Ministry of from ESPM. She is a lecturer and researcher in agribusiness innovation Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply (MAPA, 2003-06), Director of and sustainability at Universidade Ibirapuera. She is a partner in the Commodities at BM&FBOVESPA, now B3 Brasil, Bolsa e Balcão consulting firm Kesrouani Lemos Consultoria e Assessoria. (2006-13), and Director General of Bolsa Brasileira de Mercadorias She co-authored the books Economia da Pecuária de Corte: Funda- (2010-15). He is the author of Economia da Pecuária de Corte: mentos e o ciclo de preços (2017) and Política Agrícola no Brasil – Fundamentos e o ciclo de preços (“Economy of Beef Cattle: O agronegócio na perspectiva global (2019). Fundamentals and the price cycle”, 2017) and Política Agrícola no Brasil – O agronegócio na perspectiva global (“Agricultural Policy in FERNANDO BARROS graduated from professor Ignacy Sachs’ Brazil – Agribusiness in the global perspective”, 2019), among other ecodevelopment course at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences books. Sociales in Paris, France. He worked at the newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo for about 20 years, pioneering coverage of environmental affairs BENÊ CAVECHINI graduated in journalism from Faculdade Cásper in the Brazilian press. He was a correspondent in Paris for four years. Líbero in São Paulo (1966). Formerly market editor of the television He has studied strategic marketing and risk management in programme “Globo Rural” (Rede Globo, 1984 -2014) and of Globo Rural communication for some 15 years, focusing on the food value chain. magazine (1985-1990), reporter on agriculture at the newspaper Gazeta He was responsible for the campaign Um Novo Olhar Sobre a Carne Mercantil (1983-84), editor-in-chief of the Rádio Globo news programme Suína (“A new way of looking at pork”). He is currently executive “Jornal das Sete” (1978-80), and editor at the newspaper O Estado de manager of the Future Forum Institute, a think tank on sustainable S. Paulo (1972-73). He authored the book O Espelho da Inovação development in Brazil. Agrícola no Brasil (Metalivros, 2019). GREGORY HONCZAR holds a degree in economics from the Federal CAROL SOUZA graduated in journalism from Universidade Paulista in University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ, 1973). Formerly a researcher at São Paulo (2008). She has been executive editor of CNN Brazil since FGV’s Agricultural Research Centre, a contributor to FGV’s magazine January 2020, leading the team responsible for a daily news Agroanalysis, an advisor at SPA/MAPA (2003-06), and a member of programme that lasts five hours. Formerly editor-in-chief of the TV Fundação Dom Cabral’s Observatory of Agribusiness Experts. channel Canal Rural (2012-19), reporter with the channel Terraviva, He worked for FIESP’s Agribusiness Department and OCB, and as a owned by Grupo Bandeirantes de Comunicação (BAND TV), and consultant for IICA and FGV. reporter and presenter with TV Anhanguera, an affiliate of Rede Globo (2009). LUIZ ANTONIO PINAZZA graduated in agricultural engineering from Esalq/USP (1975) and holds a master’s degree in economics from the CORIOLANO XAVIER holds a degree in philosophy from USP. He is a same institution (1977). He is executive editor of FGV’s magazine journalist and advertising professional. He has attended specialisation Agroanalysis and a technical consultant to the Brazilian Agribusiness courses in marketing at FGV, Escola Superior de Propaganda e Association (ABAG). He lectures on strategic agribusiness management Marketing (ESPM) and Pace University in New York (USA). He is for FGV’s MBA programme. He held executive positions at Agroceres, managing director of MCA Marketing e Comunicação, managing partner Companhia Paulista de Fertilizantes (Copas) and São Paulo State Bank of Biomarketing and a member of the Scientific Council for Sustainable (BANESPA). He co-authored the books Economia da Pecuária de Agriculture (CCAS). Elected 2002 Professional of the Year by the Corte: Fundamentos e o ciclo de preços (2017) and Política Agrícola no Brazilian Rural Marketing and Agribusiness Association (ABMRA). He Brasil – O agronegócio na has co-authored two books with José Luiz Tejon: Marketing & perspectiva global (2019). Agribusiness (Atlas, 1993, 4th edition in 2003) and Marketing e Agronegócio: a Nova Gestão, Diálogo com a Sociedade (Pearson, ROBERTA POSSAMAI holds a degree in economics from FEA/USP 2009). (2010) and a master’s in agribusiness from FGV (2017). She is a researcher with GV Agro, as part of the team responsible for preparing ELÍSIO CONTINI HAS A PHD in economics from the University of the Agroindustrial Production Index (PIMAgro). She co-authored Muenster in Germany (1981) and a master’s degree from FGV’s Agricultura, transformação produtiva e sustentabilidade (IPEA, 2016) Brazilian School of Public Administration (1973). He was a postdoctoral and Uma jornada pelos contrastes do Brasil – Cem anos do Censo fellow at Labex Europe, part of Agropolis International in Montpellier, Agropecuário (IPEA, 2020). She has published several articles on France (2005). He is a scientific researcher at Embrapa, where he Brazilian agribusiness and works as consultant in the area. She writes currently heads the intelligence and macrostrategy unit. He lectures on monthly in the magazine Agroanalysis on macroeconomics for agribusiness management at FGV and Fundação Dom Cabral. He sits agriculture. on COSAG-FIESP and is a former advisor to the World Economic Forum’s Food and Nutrition Council. Formerly chief strategic advisor at RODRIGO C. A. LIMA has a PhD in law for international economic the MAPA (2005-08). relations from the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (PUC-SP, 2016) and a master’s degree in international law from the FELIPPE C. SERIGATI holds a PhD and master’s degree in economics Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC, 2004). He is managing from FGV-SP. Formerly a visiting researcher at the University of partner of Agroicone, with 15 years of experience in international California, Berkeley (USA). He is a lecturer in economics at FGV, a negotiations relating to international trade, the environment and researcher at FGV’s Agribusiness Research Centre (GV Agro), and sustainable development in agriculture and renewable energy. coordinator of Professional Master in agribusiness at FGV. Formerly Formerly a researcher and general manager with the Institute for economic advisor in the São Paulo State Department of Agriculture. Research on International Trade Relations (ICONE). He is the author of He co-authored Política Agrícola no Brasil – O agronegócio na the book Medidas sanitárias e fitossanitárias na OMC: perspectiva global (2019) and Uma jornada pelos contrastes do Brasil: neoprotecionismo ou defesa de objetivos legítimos (Aduaneiras, 2005). cem anos do Censo Agropecuário" (IPEA, 2020). Number of letters of support by sector of activity (total: 119 letters from all countries)
51
41
15
6 6
Academia Primary Secondary Politicians Tertiary Sector Sector Sector
• Academia: includes institutions and professionals linked to science, education, research and development, technical assistance and international cooperation. Alysson Paolinelli for the 2021 Peace Nobel Prize • Primary Sector: includes institutions related to agriculture (such as associations and The nomination was led by the director of the “Luiz de Queiroz” cooperatives). College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo. The initiative • Secondary Sector: includes institutions directly linked to industry. received, in a short period of time, 119 letters of support. • Politicians: includes individual congressmen and All-Party Groups. For example, the All-Party Parliamentary Agriculture Group is composed of 39 senators and 245 Number of letters of support for the nomination by country deputies. and country group (total: 119 letters) • Tertiary Sector: includes institutions directly linked to the service sector.
Brazil 81 USA 10 Argentina 5 Groups of Countries* 3 Costa Rica Peru * Groups of Countries: South Africa 2 • FARM - Mercosur Federation of Rural UK Associations (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay Uruguay). Canada • MAIZALL - International Alliance of Maize Growers Chile (Argentina, Brazil and USA). Dominican Republic Finland • OCPLP - Cooperative Organization of Portuguese-speaking Countries (Angola, Brazil, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, Germany 1 Portugal, Sao Tomé and Principe, East Timor). India Paraguay Portugal Spain Thailand
EDITORIAL CREDITS
Coordination Ivan Wedekin
Graphic Design Coordination Coriolano Xavier
Cover Design Bruno Biazzon
Design and Layout José Roberto Souza Junior
Consultant for Graphs and Tables Gregory Honczar