Brazil - Agricultural Policy Dialogue Brazil-Germany

Bilateral exchange on sustainable and climate-friendly forms of agriculture

Agriculture in Brazil

In Brazil agriculture is highly productive. Soybeans are grown on 45 million hectares, with about 40 % of the output being for domestic use and 60 % for export. In addition to large-scale agriculture, small farmers make up a regionally and economically diverse component of agriculture. The government plans to restore 40 million hectares of degraded pastureland for different uses, to increase its value, favouring biodiversity and supporting smallholder farmers. The deforestation of the tropical rainforest has decreased significantly since the beginning of 2023. Deforestation caused by soybean production has been dropping sharply in the last 10 years.
Brazil plans to end deforestation completely by 2030.

Brazil

Soya, coffee and orange juice are Brazil's most important agricultural export products.

In addition to the Amazon in the north and the Atlantic rainforest in the east and south-east, there are extensive savannah landscapes (Cerrado) and the humid Pantanal in the mid-west, the semi-arid dry forest in the north-east and the pampas in the south. The agricultural and food sector, including the upstream and downstream sectors, represents a good 25% of Brazil's GDP.

The Project

While Germany wants to reduce agricultural intensity, Brazil is aiming at a sustainable intensification through integrated and low carbon agricultural practices, also with the purpose of reducing pressure on deforestation. To achieve this, innovation is at the forefront. APD promotes a dialogue on sustainable value chains, innovative systems of agricultural financing and bioeconomy, with the purpose, among others, of implementing the European Union Deforestation Regulation. Experts and leaders from government, the private sector, agriculture, science, and civil society of both countries will exchange views on the challenges facing the agricultural and food sectors.

Project Goals

To improve mutual understanding of the agricultural and food sectors between both countries
Exchange of technical and statistical information as well as on regulatory issues
To strengthen networks and partnerships in the agricultural and food sectors of both countries.

Bundesminister Cem Özdemir steht zusammen mit den brasilianischen Amtskollegen Carlos Faváro, Minister für Landwirtschaft und Viehzucht, sowie Paulo Teixeira, Minister für Agrarentwicklung und Familienlandwirtschaft — Federal Minister Cem Özdemir stands together with his Brazilian counterparts Carlos Faváro, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, and Paulo Teixeira, Minister of Agricultural Development and Family Farming © BMEL

With the signing of the new Memorandum of Understanding by Ministers Cem Özdemir (Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, BMEL), Paulo Teixeira (Ministry of Agricultural Development, MDA) and Carlos Fávaro (Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, MAPA) on 4 December 2023, the agricultural policy dialogue with Brazil enters a new phase and expands the political spectrum.

Results and Successes

APD has published numerous analyses on relevant subjects, including the EU Deforestation Regulation and the transformation of food systems through bioeconomy. In dialogue events with high-ranking participants, options for sustainable value adding chains and agricultural financing as well as innovations in bioeconomy are being discussed.

Project Partners and Cooperations

The political partners of the APD in Brazil are the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MDA) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA).
The APD is an instrument for dialogue committed to partnerships with the Brazilian government institutions as well as with the agricultural and food sectors, civil society, and academia. Furthermore, APD works with associations and scientific institutes such as the University of Bonn, the Agricultural Research Institute EMBRAPA, the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV Agro), the Brazilian Agribusiness Association (ABAG) and several environmental organisations and the cross-sectoral alliance, “Brazilian Coalition on Climate, Forests and Agriculture”.