Brazil leads agricultural productivity among 187 countries

A recent article published on the website of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply reveals that since the 2000s, Brazil has been leading the world agricultural productivity among 187 countries, obtaining an increase rate of 3.18% per year.

The study was released in October by the Economic Research Service, an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Source: Ministry of Agriculture (MAPA)

The Technical Note of the General Coordination of Plans and Scenarios of MAPA's Secretariat for Agricultural Policies emphasized the relevant conclusions of the aforementioned study.

Among these, we can highlight the results of Total Productivity of Factors (TFP), calculated by the difference between the growth rates of Total Product and Inputs.

The Technical Note defined the ‘Product’ as being an index composed by the aggregation of all products from temporary crops, permanent crops, and animal production. And inputs as an index resulting from the aggregation of land areas (crops and pastures), national self-propelled agricultural machinery, labor, fertilizers and pesticides.

According to the period analyzed, the Brazilian agricultural product grew more than five times, while the increase in the index of inputs was relatively small, the Note mentioned.

Product Index - PTF - Inputs. Source: Ministry of Agriculture (MAPA)

According to the general coordination of Policy Assessment and Information, of the Ministry's Agricultural Policy Secretariat (SPA), investments in research, adoption of low-carbon agricultural practices, such as direct planting and integration systems between crops, livestock and forests, also impacted productivity gains.

These systems have brought significant gains in productivity. There are studies that claim that direct planting can increase the productivity of a corn crop by up to 30%, for example.

The study in question confirms the importance of using techniques that promote the efficient use of the inputs used, in particular, land, which increasingly requires practices that favor its sustainability and conservation. After all, future generations also have the right to enjoy this good (input) that is essential for the survival of humanity.