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

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