Sustainability Challenges of Brazilian Agriculture: Governance, Inclusion, and Innovation

Description

With contributions from a wide range of thematic areas, this book provides a diverse perspective on the contemporary environmental challenges of Brazilian agriculture. Assessing existing experiences of governance interventions, implementation of inclusive and sustainable production practices, as well as technical innovations, this edited volume presents the reader with a nuanced perspective on sustainable future pathways for Brazilian agriculture. In many cases, actors within the agricultural sector stand in a key position to address environmental concerns, which often has generated important breakthroughs and improvement of production practices. Drawing on contributions from authors within a variety of fields, this contribution presents a trans-disciplinary perspective on the problems and pathways through which multi-level interventions can lead to sustainable solutions within the Brazilian agricultural and livestock sector. This book hereby constitutes an informed and timely contribution to the important debates about Brazil’s potential role in confronting environmental problems. More broadly, this volume also sheds light on the process of agricultural transitions in the Global South, and how food security concerns may be reconciled with sustainable production.  Foreword Acknowledgements Contents Contributors Abbreviations Chapter 1: Introduction: The Sustainability Challenges of Brazilian Agriculture 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Planetary Boundaries 1.3 Sustainability Governance and Agriculture 1.4 The Structure of the Book References Part I: The International Dimension of Sustainability Chapter 2: The Shanghai Connection: Governing the Sustainability Impacts of Brazilian Agri-exports to China 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Sino-Brazilian Agricultural Trade Interdependence 2.3 Impacts of Growing Chinese Demand for Brazilian Soy and Beef 2.3.1 The Chinese Appetite for Brazilian Soy 2.3.2 Consequences of Chinese Demand for Brazilian Beef 2.4 Sustainability Governance and the Sino-Brazilian Trade in Agribusiness 2.4.1 Brazilian Domestic Regulation 2.4.2 Bilateral Governance of Sino-Brazilian Commodity Flows 2.4.3 Transnational Private Sustainability Initiatives 2.5 Governance Pathways for Potential Solutions 2.6 Conclusions References Chapter 3: Sustainability Governance of Soybean Trade Between Brazil and Europe: The Road Travelled and the Challenges Ahead 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Soy on the Sustainability Agenda 3.3 Unboxing Corporate Soy Sustainability 3.4 The EU’s Institutionalization of Private Sustainability 3.5 Paths Forward for the European and Brazilian Soy Trade 3.6 Policy Implications 3.7 Conclusion References Chapter 4: Brazilian Agriculture and the International Political Economy of Climate Change 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Analytical Framework 4.3 Period One: The Green Revolution in Brazil (1970–2003) 4.4 Period Two: From Indifference to Moderation: The Climate Agenda Impacts the ABS (2004–2010) 4.5 Period Three: The Victory of the Conservatives (2011–2018) 4.6 Period Four: Reformist Changes in the ABS (2019–2022) 4.7 Perspectives and Final Considerations References Chapter 5: Brazilian Agriculture and the Global Environmental Agenda 5.1 Introduction 5.2 The Global Environmental Agenda 5.2.1 Food Systems Transition Aligned with the SDGs 5.2.2 Land Use and Brazilian Agriculture 5.3 Agriculture and Climate Change 5.3.1 The Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture 5.4 Brazilian Strategies Towards Promoting Resilient and Low-Carbon Agriculture 5.5 Agriculture and Biodiversity 5.5.1 Biodiversity at the Core of the Multilateral Environmental Agenda 5.5.2 Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity 5.6 Conclusions References Chapter 6: Carbon Markets and the Financing of Forestry, Agricultural, and Livestock Activities 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Carbon Pricing as an Instrument for Jurisdictional and Corporate Climate Policies 6.2.1 Carbon Trading 6.2.2 Carbon Credits 6.2.3 Nature-Based Solutions 6.2.4 REDD+ Activities in Carbon Markets 6.2.5 NCS in Agriculture and Carbon Markets 6.3 Cost-Effectiveness of NCS in the World and in Brazil 6.3.1 Carbon Market Initiatives in Brazil 6.4 Conclusions and the Way Ahead References Part II: Technical Challenges and Innovation Chapter 7: Effects of Land Use Changes on Soil Biodiversity Conservation 7.1 Introduction 7.2 The Importance of Soil Biodiversity and the Impacts of Land Conversion and Agriculture 7.2.1 Bacterial Diversity 7.2.2 Fungal Diversity 7.2.3 Soil Fauna Diversity 7.3 Conclusions: Sustainability Challenges in Agriculture and Soil Biodiversity Conservation References Chapter 8: The Brazilian Way of Farming: Potential and Challenges to Agricultural Decarbonization 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Natural Climate Solutions: Brazil Within the Global Context 8.3 Comparative Advantages and Opportunities for the Brazilian Agricultural Decarbonization 8.3.1 No-Tillage 8.3.2 Biological Nitrogen Fixation (BNF) 8.3.3 Crop-Livestock-Forest Integration (CLFi) 8.3.4 Sustainable Intensification Within the Brazilian Livestock Sector 8.4 Challenges and Incentives for the Engagement of Brazilian Agriculture Within Carbon Markets 8.4.1 The Regulatory Environment 8.4.2 The Task of Measuring, Report, and Verify (MRV) 8.4.3 Cultural Factors and Technification Challenges 8.4.4 Coordination Towards Low-Carbon Agriculture 8.5 Conclusions References Chapter 9: Crop-Livestock-Forest Integration Systems as a Sustainable Production Strategy in Brazil 9.1 Introduction 9.2 History and Development of CLFI in Brazil 9.2.1 Emergence and Evolution of CLFI in Brazilian Agribusiness 9.2.2 Challenges for Technological Development 9.3 CFLI: A Sustainable Technology 9.3.1 Benefits of Integrated Production Systems 9.3.2 Use of CFLI by Small, Medium, and Large Rural Producers 9.3.3 Applicability of the CFLI in the Recovery of Degraded Pastures 9.3.4 Economic Viability of the CFLI 9.4 CFLI and Its Role in Climate Change 9.4.1 Public Policies for Fostering the Adoption of CFLI 9.4.2 CFLI as a Sustainable Strategy for the Mitigation of Greenhouse Gases 9.5 Conclusion References Chapter 10: Land Sparing and Sustainable Intensification Within the Livestock Sector 10.1 Introduction 10.2 The General Context for Brazilian Livestock Production 10.3 Challenges for Sustainable Production 10.3.1 Supply Chain Complexity 10.3.2 Pasture Degradation 10.3.3 Economic and Environmental Feasibility 10.3.4 Livestock Greenhouse Gas Emissions 10.3.5 Deforestation, Sectoral Agreements, Monitoring, and Traceability of the Chain 10.4 Intensification as a Pathway to Increase Production Without Deforestation 10.4.1 Pasture Management 10.4.2 Technology Adoption 10.4.3 Sanitary Control and Property Management 10.4.4 Optimization of Spatial Distribution 10.4.5 Social Inclusion, Reduction of Informality, and Illegalities 10.4.6 Agricultural Policy and Rural Credit 10.5 Conclusions References Chapter 11: Green Digitalization? Agriculture 4.0 and the Challenges of Environmental Governance in Brazil 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Environmental Challenges in the Anthropocene: Theoretical Perspectives 11.3 Beyond Technocentrism: Agriculture 4.0 as a Gradual Transformation 11.4 Agriculture 4.0 in Brazil: Institutions, Agendas, and the Challenges of Environmental Governance 11.4.1 Environmental and Institutional Stakeholders of Brazilian Agriculture 11.4.2 Incipient Digitalization and Environmental Issues in Brazilian Agribusiness 11.5 Final Remarks References Part III: The Challenge of Inclusion Chapter 12: The (Un)Feasibility of Inclusive Rural Development in Brazil 12.1 Introduction 12.2 The Restructuring of Brazilian Agriculture 12.2.1 Sustainable Agriculture 12.3 Inclusive Rural Development? 12.4 Conclusions References Chapter 13: Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Reporting and Brazilian Agriculture: Constraints and Opportunities to Sustainability 13.1 Introduction 13.2 ESGs as a Private Governance Mechanism: Origins in the United Nation’s Global Compact 13.3 Materiality and Stakeholder in Focus: A Comparative Analysis of GRI and SASB ESG Standards 13.4 Contextualizing the Brazilian Sugarcane Agroindustry 13.5 Current Use of ESG Frameworks in São Martinho’s Sustainability Report: Insights and Implications 13.6 Conclusion: Effective Conflict Reporting is Essential for Ensuring Sustainability through ESGs References Chapter 14: Bioeconomy: Brazilian Potential and Challenges 14.1 Introduction 14.2 The Concept of Bioeconomy 14.3 Brazil’s Challenges in the Bioeconomy 14.4 Bioeconomy of Socio-biodiversity in the Amazon 14.4.1 The Social Context 14.4.2 Bioeconomy as an Opportunity 14.5 The Amazon Bioeconomy Concept 14.5.1 Challenges and Opportunities in the Amazon Bioeconomy 14.6 Conclusion References Part IV: Public Governance Chapter 15: The Brazilian Forest Code: The Challenges of Legal Implementation 15.1 Introduction 15.2 Background of the Forest Code 15.3 How Does the Forest Code Operate 15.3.1 The Forest Code’s Conservation Instruments 15.3.2 The Forest Code’s Special Regime 15.3.3 The Forest Code’s Compliance Procedure 15.4 Challenges in Implementing the Forest Code 15.4.1 The Individual Dimension: Producers’ Challenges 15.4.2 The Institutional Dimension: Government’s Challenges 15.4.3 The Legal Dimension: Regulatory and Judicial Challenges 15.4.4 The Economic Dimension: Finance and Market Challenges 15.5 The Progress of the States in the Implementation of the Forest Code 15.6 Conclusion References Chapter 16: Brazilian Biofuel Governance: The Case of Brazilian Ethanol and RenovaBio 16.1 Introduction 16.2 The National Biofuels Policy (RenovaBio): Fundamentals and General Objectives 16.3 Decarbonization Targets 16.4 Decarbonization Credits (CBIO) 16.5 Adjustment Mechanisms 16.6 Fuel Distributors 16.7 Certification of Biofuel Producers 16.8 Conclusion: Program Considerations and Perspectives References Chapter 17: Land Governance: Getting the Incentives Right 17.1 Introduction 17.2 Land Tenure and Land Use Regulation 17.2.1 The Hierarchy of Priorities for Allocating Public Lands 17.2.2 Rules to Promote Conservation and Land Use Efficiency in Private Landholdings 17.2.3 The Unfinished Business of Allocating Land Rights 17.2.3.1 The Status of Land Rights and Tenure in the Amazon 17.2.3.2 Indigenous Lands 17.2.3.3 Remnant Quilombo Communities 17.2.3.4 Colonization and Land Reform Projects 17.2.4 Progress and Barriers to Responsible Titling of Individual Landholdings 17.2.4.1 A Program to Disentangle Informal from Illegal Landholders 17.2.4.2 The Vicious Cycles of Illegal Land Regularization 17.2.4.3 Prosecutors and Civil Society Try to Prevent Land Grabbing 17.2.4.4 An Ambitious Plan to Grant Titles to Individual Landholders 17.2.4.5 Evading and Weakening the Rural Land Tax 17.2.5 Brazilian Environmental and Land Rights Policies 17.2.5.1 The Advance of Environmental Rules Enforcement 17.2.5.2 The Creation of Protected Areas and the Acknowledgment of Indigenous Rights 17.2.5.3 Payments for Low-Income Families That Conserved Forests 17.2.5.4 The Soy Moratorium 17.2.5.5 The Cattle Agreement 17.2.6 Other Benefits of Implementing Land and Environmental Rules 17.2.6.1 Increased Land Use Productivity 17.2.6.2 Prevention of Disease and Premature Death 17.2.7 Vulnerabilities of Public and Private Policies Against Deforestation 17.2.7.1 Regulatory Loopholes or Insufficient Market Commitments Lead to Leakage 17.2.7.2 Closed Political System, Flawed Democracy, and a Weak Criminal System 17.3 The Policies That Could Stimulate Sustainable Land Use in the Amazon 17.3.1 Brazilian Public Policies 17.3.1.1 Land Tenure 17.3.1.2 Stimulate Efficient Land Use by Enforcing the Rural Land Tax (ITR) 17.3.1.3 Restore and Sustain the Best Land and Environmental Policies 17.3.1.4 Private Sector Policies 17.3.1.5 International Regulation and Markets 17.4 Conclusions References Part V: Private Governance Chapter 18: Jurisdictional and Landscape Approaches to Sustainability: Principles and Experiences from the Field in Brazil 18.1 Introduction 18.2 Context and Background 18.2.1 Political and Private Sector Commitments on Forests 18.2.2 REDD+ Opportunities 18.2.3 Subnational Protagonism 18.3 Jurisdictional and Landscape Approaches Concept and Key Elements 18.3.1 Concept 18.3.2 Elements of a Landscape or Jurisdictional Approach 18.4 Jurisdictional Approaches and Supply Chains 18.5 The State of Jurisdictional Initiatives 18.5.1 A Closer Look at the Brazilian Jurisdictional Experiences 18.5.1.1 The State of Acre and the SISA 18.5.1.2 Paragominas and Programa Municípios Verdes 18.5.1.3 São Félix do Xingu (SFX) Pact 18.5.1.4 Lucas do Rio Verde Legal and MT Legal 18.5.1.5 Programa Mato Grossense de Municípios Sustentáveis (PMS) 18.5.1.6 Produce, Conserve and Include: PCI Strategy of Mato Grosso 18.5.1.7 PCI Compacts 18.5.1.8 Maranhão on the Spot: Balsas and Chapadinha Initiatives 18.5.2 Lessons Learned from Brazilian Experiences and Key Elements for Success 18.5.2.1 Enabling Factors 18.5.2.2 Effective Implementation 18.5.2.3 The Challenge of Building Trust and Collaboration 18.6 Conclusions and the Future of Jurisdictional Approaches in Brazil References Chapter 19: Tracing and Monitoring to Achieve Deforestation-Free Supply Chains in Brazil 19.1 Introduction 19.2 Deforestation-Free Supply Chain on Soy and Beef Industries 19.3 Soy and Beef Companies’ Commitments Associated with Deforestation and Supply Chain Control 19.4 Traceability and Monitoring 19.4.1 The Soy Supply Chain 19.4.2 The Beef Supply Chain 19.5 Challenges and Pieces Missing in Supply Chain Control 19.6 Technological Innovations 19.7 Conclusions References Chapter 20: Private Governance: Multistakeholder Initiatives and Moratoriums 20.1 Introduction 20.2 Context 20.3 The Role of Private Governance in Mitigating Deforestation and Climate Change 20.3.1 Moratoriums and Chain Agreements 20.3.1.1 The Amazon Soy Moratorium 20.3.1.2 Public Commitment to Livestock (CPP) 20.3.1.3 Livestock Conduct Adjustment Term (TAC da Pecuária) 20.3.2 Private Certifications and Continuous Improvement Initiatives 20.3.2.1 Roundtable on Responsible Soy Association (RTRS) 20.3.2.2 Bonsucro 20.3.3 Multistakeholder Initiatives Targeting Deforestation 20.3.3.1 International Groups 20.3.3.2 Domestic Groups 20.4 Conclusion: Future Challenges References