Success Trend - Brazil, the Most Advanced Country in the Transition to a Greener Economy

Brazilian Agriculture often undergoes great advances. The Brazilian system of support for science and innovation as well as the willingness of Brazilian farmers to test and accept new technologies are pillars of these advances. 

In recent years, regenerative agriculture has been one of these leaps, respecting soil conservation practices and increasingly adopting environmentally friendly inputs. Bioinputs are inserted in this context. Biological inputs have become increasingly present in the planning of Brazilian farmers. This should be the point to look forward to in 2024 since this is one of the most important trends for the Brazilian agricultural market. These products do not leave residues in the food, do not pollute water sources, and are ″carbon friendly″ - no extra carbon is added to the atmosphere, which means they allow greater access to the carbon market.

But what are bioinputs anyway? 

According to the Brazilian Decree 10,375/20, bioinputs are defined as ″product, process or technology of plant, animal or microbial origin, intended for use in the production, storage and processing of agricultural products, aquatic production systems or planted forests, which positively interfere with the growth, development and response mechanism of animals, plants, microorganisms and derived substances and which interact with physical-chemical and biological products and processes″.

Biologicals promote pest and disease control through natural processes, helping to avoid the development of resistance and creating a more balanced ecosystem. They also contribute to much better plant health under conditions of abiotic stress.

Traditional agricultural practices can consume soil health and fertility over time. Biological products are beneficial in building healthy soil ecosystems by promoting beneficial microbial activity, increasing organic matter and improving nutrient cycling. They can also enhance seed germination and seedling vigor, leading to a more uniform stand and higher yields. All these natural solutions can enhance nutrient uptake and utilization and minimize reliance on synthetic fertilizers.

Biological management becomes essential when we bring up regenerative agricultural systems that aim to improve soil health and promote biodiversity, improve the water cycle, and sequester carbon while producing nutritious food profitably. In this way, bioinputs plays an important role, as they also help to recover and preserve the soil and have been proven to increase agricultural productivity through biological resources already present in nature. In addition, biological products can act to recover degraded areas while increasing food production.

The technology applied to the use of bioinputs and the climate give Brazilian agribusiness a competitive advantage over other agricultural countries, mainly due to climate differences; for example, Brazil can harvest more than two or three crops yearly. A second harvest in the same area, made possible by climatic conditions, the development of technology and disease and pest control, as mentioned, helps to reduce costs, increases the scale of production and makes agriculture more competitive.

Taking advantage of this situation, according to the Ministry of the Industry and Trade of Brazil - MDIC, in 2023, the country surpassed the USA, becoming the largest corn exporter on the planet with 55,8 million tons, counting on a record grain harvest 2022/23, estimated by the National Supply Company – CONAB - at 322.8 million tons. Also, according to ABRAPA - Brazilian Association of Cotton Producers - Brazil has become the world's largest cotton exporter for the first time, surpassing the United States. The goal, which was supposed to be reached in 2030, was achieved even before the end of the 2023/2024 harvest. Else, Brazil is the world's leading orange producer, contributing significantly to the global supply of fresh oranges and orange juice. In the 2023/24 orange season, Brazil maintained its position as the leading producer of fresh oranges, with a production of 16,5 million metric tons (mt), according to the USDA – U.S. Department of Agriculture. This accounts for 34% of the global orange production. (Source: Agrolink por Seane Lenno 08/JUL/2024).

Being the world pioneer in using bioinputs to strengthen its agricultural production, sales of biological products in Brazil have grown by 60% in the last four years, compared to a global average of 15% (IMBUSINESS 2023).

Revenues from sales of these products exceeded US$827 million in Brazil in the 2022/23 harvest - representing an increase of 52% compared to the 2021/2022 cycle (US$547 million). Progress is expected to remain strong, according to the consultancy Kynetec/2023 and Infomoney Business (Fernando Lopes 17/10/23). 

According to Kynetec, the total area treated with bioinputs in the country is close to 113 million ha (this calculation considers that in the same area, there may be several product applications). Again, according to Kynetec (Broadcast agro Oct 2023), the area treated with biological products grew significantly in the main crops in 2022/23. The survey showed results of 33% of the soybean planted area with bioinputs (112 million hectares), as well as covering 50% of sugarcane (4.6 million hectares) and 40% of 2nd crop corn (6.6 million hectares). They also covered 899,000 hectares of summer corn and 1,046,000 hectares of cotton, corresponding to 20% and 66% of these crops, respectively.

But how was all this progress possible? Regulation, establishing clear rules, is one of the pillars. The regulatory process for biological products in Brazil has been ongoing since the publication of the Pesticide’s Legislation - Law 7.802/89, recently updated by Law 14.785/23 and its Decree 10.833/21. This evolution established a well-designed process, providing legal certainty for all players in this market. This is a key factor affecting farmers' access to advanced bioinput’s technology.

Also, as a result of bioinput’s innovations, since 2018, Brazil has rules to cover projects developed under directed genetics technology – Innovative Precision Improvement Techniques (TIMP) to evaluate and ensure its safety to the environment and final consumers. 

Other topics brought by the increasing adoption of bioinputs are the quality control system and different uses being regulated by one single regulatory pathway. These two topics are central in the debate of the two bills under discussion in the Brazilian Parliament.

So far, it is important to highlight the number of products registered for biological control by the Ministry of Agriculture – MAPA, from 2005 to 2023 – 616 registered products approved for approximately 199 targets. (Source: Agro2 por Janaina Honorato 26/Feb/24). For those biological products considered inoculants (products containing microorganisms that favor plant growth), their use has become increasingly common in soybeans, benefiting the development of these plants through biological nitrogen fixation (BNF). According to ANPII, the National Association of Producers and Importers of Inoculants, Brazil uses more than 130 million doses of biological inoculants in crops, with 85% of the total soybean area in the 2022/23 harvest cultivated by the technique of inoculation of these products in seeds.

Bioinputs contributes to increased productivity with less impact on farming costs and the environment. Those products also respond to the clamor of consumer society, which demands healthy products and greater sustainability in production.

The emergence of bioinputs represents a paradigm shift in Brazilian agriculture due to the large cultivated areas, consecutive harvests in the same year and climate conditions. These natural solutions offer effective and sustainable addition to typical solutions, promising greater profitability and environmentally responsible agricultural practices.

All these results enable and facilitate the transition to a greener economy by finding innovations to improve climate impacts, demonstrating the commitment of Brazilian Agribusiness to advanced and sustainable practices, boosting productivity and reducing environmental impact. 

For more info:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cesis/

Website: https://cesis.bio.br/

Email:  contato@cesis.bio.br

References

1. BRAZIL. Law No.1,.785, of December 27, 2023. Legislation of Pesticides and Related Products. Official Gazette (D, O,U,), Brasília, DF, December, 28. Available

at: < https://www.in.gov.br/en/web/dou/-/lei-n-14.785-de-27-de-dezembro-de-2023-533959933> Accessed on March 1, 2024.

2. BRAZIL. Decree No. 10,375, of December 27, 2023. Regulates the Legislation of Pesticides and Related Products. Official Gazette (D.O.U), Brasília, DF, May 26, 2020. Available at: < http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/_ato2019-2022/2020/decreto/D10375.htm>. Accessed on: March 1, 2024.

3. National Supply Company – CONAB. Available at  < https://www.conab.gov.br/ultimas-noticias/5157-com-novo-recorde-producao-de-graos-na-safra-2022-23-chega-a-322-8-milhoes-de-toneladas>. Accessed on: February 28, 2024

4. ANPII – Available at < http://www.anpii.org.br/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Global-Fert-Inoculantes.pdf>. Accessed on: February 28, 2024

5. HONORATO, J.  Available at < https://agro2.com.br/agricultura/mercado-defensivos-biologicos-brasil>  . Accessed on: February 28, 2024

6. Kynetec Consultancy. Available at: http://broadcast.com.br/cadernos/agro/?id=cG1SVGFuZ3dndnlhSUpINldPc2VmQT09. Acessed on February 28,2024

7. LOPES, F. Infomoney business. Available at: https://www.infomoney.com.br/business/faturamento-com-vendas-de-bioinsumos-superou-us-820-milhoes-no-brasil-na-safra-2022-23/. Accessed on February 27, 2024

8. CNN Brasil at: https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/economia/mercado/brasil-supera-eua-e-se-torna-maior-exportador-de-algodao-do-mundo/. Acessed on July 08, 2024.

9. LENNON, Seane at https://www.agrolink.com.br/noticias/brasil-se-destaca-como-o-maior-produtor-mundial-de-laranja_492838.html. Acessed on July, 12, 2024.

This article was originally published in AgroPages magazine 2024 Biologicals Special.

Contact Joyce Wang (joyce@agropages.com) to show your bio-solutions through AgroPages.