Brazilian Bio-inputs Program: Limited impact and the need for better evaluation

Brazil has a long history of public policies aimed at rural development, seeking to boost agricultural production sustainably. However, the evaluation of these policies is often neglected, compromising the efficiency of the programs and hindering the correction of distortions, says agronomist Luís Eduardo Pacifici Rangel, a member of the Sustainable Agro Scientific Council (CCAS).

Among these public policies are the National Plan for Agroecology and Organic Production (PLANAPO), launched in 2013, the realization of the National Policy for Agroecology and Organic Production (PNAPO), and the Bio-inputs Program (PNB). According to Rangel, who has served as Secretary of Agricultural Defense and Director of Economic Analysis and Public Policies at the Ministry of Agriculture (MAPA), the analysis of these programs reveals challenges and limitations that can serve as lessons for other initiatives.

Created in 2020, the Bio-inputs Program emerged as a so-called "innovative" public policy to promote the use of bio-inputs in agriculture, reducing dependence on conventional chemical inputs. The promise was to boost sustainable production and strengthen the bioeconomy in Brazil.

"But this proposal is very similar to the one presented by PLANAPO in 2013. However, preliminary analyses reveal that the direct impact of the program was limited or almost nil, as the adoption of bio-inputs was more associated with structural economic factors (increased production value and cost reduction efforts) than with policy guidelines," the expert analyzes.

Among the identified problems, he highlights the "lack of reliable databases that allow for a robust evaluation of the program's effects. The absence of precise information hinders the formulation of new strategies and can compromise the policy's effectiveness in the long term."

"Another critical point is the strong concentration of the bio-inputs market in a few species of biological agents. There are few companies with many products, while most registrant companies have only one product. This, undoubtedly, is a bias that hinders the expansion of competition and access for rural producers to these inputs," he points out.

The experience with Bio-inputs, since its origin in the National Plan for Agroecology and Organic Production - PLANAPO, underscores the importance of continuous monitoring and qualified evaluation of rural public policies. Well-intentioned policies, but without rigorous analysis of their impacts and execution, risk becoming mere declarations of intent without practical effect.

However, Rangel emphasizes, it is necessary to remember that the bio-inputs policy influenced the creation of Law 15.070 of December 23, 2024, also known as the "New Regulatory Framework for Bio-inputs in Brazil." "The mobilization to separate conventional chemical products from innovative ones, of biological origin, had an impressive effect. Part of this result will be absorbed by the so-called 'on-farm' productions, which will need a specific regulatory environment in the future," explains the CCAS advisor.

According to him, the analysis of efficiency, efficacy, and effectiveness of programs should be an integral part of the formulation and implementation cycle of public policies: "Econometric models, impact analysis, and systematized data are essential tools to avoid resource waste and ensure that policies are indeed benefiting rural producers and society as a whole."

Recently, the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) issued a recommendation to the Ministry of Planning for a more detailed analysis of the Multi-Year Plan (PPA) to avoid the overlap of rural programs. This measure highlights the need to improve the evaluation and monitoring mechanisms of public policies in the agricultural sector.

"The overlap of programs can lead to resource waste and conflicts in the execution of initiatives that should be complementary. The TCU's recommendation indicates that there is room for greater integration and strategic planning, ensuring that policies truly meet the needs of the productive sector without dispersing investments in competing or inefficient initiatives," says Rangel.

The expert highlights that PLANAPO and its derivation into a bio-inputs program, along with the recent TCU recommendation, reinforce the urgency of improving the analysis of rural public policies: "Brazil needs to adopt a culture of continuous evaluation, based on concrete evidence, to ensure that implemented programs achieve the expected results and effectively benefit farmers and the agricultural economy."

"The insistence on developing a program to reduce pesticide use (PNARA), originating from the same PLANAPO, seems to be the same smokescreen that never had metrics, goals, nor a future. Identifying the real problems of agricultural production and addressing them with strategy and efficiency seems to be the obvious conclusion of the TCU auditors," he justifies.

"Without an efficient monitoring structure, we risk perpetuating ineffective policies and wasting resources that could be better allocated. Qualified evaluation should be the backbone of government decisions, ensuring a more competitive, innovative, and sustainable agricultural sector. There is no more room for contentless discourse, programs without indicators, and managers without commitment," concludes the CCAS advisor.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)