THE CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF AGRICULTURAL EXPANSION IN MATOPIBA

This research paper analyzes the economic impact of agricultural expansion in the Matopiba region of Brazil (Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauí, and Bahia) within the Cerrado biome. Finding that agricultural production accelerated after the late 1990s—driven by a shift toward soy—the study concludes that this expansion increased total GDP per capita by 11% relative to non-Cerrado areas, primarily through direct agricultural growth and indirect spillovers into the services sector. While access to electricity and durable goods (TVs, refrigerators) improved, the expansion had no significant effect on manufacturing GDP, migration, or educational attainment.

• Agricultural expansion in the Matopiba region, specifically within the Cerrado biome, accelerated after the late 1990s. Between 1999 and 2012, the share of cropland in Cerrado municipalities expanded by 3.6 percentage points more than in non-Cerrado municipalities, and the value of agricultural production increased by 140% more.
• Agricultural expansion positively impacted the economic performance of municipalities in the Cerrado biome. From 1999 to 2012, total GDP per capita grew 11% more in these municipalities than in non-Cerrado ones, driven by a 37% relative increase in agricultural GDP per capita and a 10% relative increase in services GDP per capita.
• The growth in the services sector indicates a spillover effect from agricultural expansion, likely due to increased local demand from forward and backward linkages. However, the expansion had no significant effect on manufacturing GDP.
• Agricultural expansion led to improved access to certain durable consumer goods and basic infrastructure between 2000 and 2010. Specifically, the share of households with televisions, refrigerators, and electric power grew faster in Cerrado municipalities than in non-Cerrado ones.
• Despite economic growth, the agricultural expansion in the Matopiba did not result in significant differential changes in local population, migration patterns, or educational outcomes compared to non-Cerrado municipalities.
• The expansion of mechanized, large-scale agriculture in the region was enabled by technological innovations from the 1970s, including new soy varieties and soil management techniques for acid and poor tropical soils.

APA

BRAGANÇA, A. (2018). THE CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF AGRICULTURAL EXPANSION IN MATOPIBA. Climate Policy Initiative. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/CPI_UPDATED_Jan_18_Working_Paper_The_Causes_and_Consequences_of_Agricultural_Expansion_in_Matopiba_Working_Paper_CPI.pdf

Chicago

BRAGANÇA, ARTHUR. THE CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF AGRICULTURAL EXPANSION IN MATOPIBA. Climate Policy Initiative, 2018. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/CPI_UPDATED_Jan_18_Working_Paper_The_Causes_and_Consequences_of_Agricultural_Expansion_in_Matopiba_Working_Paper_CPI.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=BRAGANÇA |first1=ARTHUR |title=THE CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF AGRICULTURAL EXPANSION IN MATOPIBA |publisher=Climate Policy Initiative |date=January 2018 |url=https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/CPI_UPDATED_Jan_18_Working_Paper_The_Causes_and_Consequences_of_Agricultural_Expansion_in_Matopiba_Working_Paper_CPI.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bragana2018causes, author = {BRAGANÇA, ARTHUR}, title = {{THE CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF AGRICULTURAL EXPANSION IN MATOPIBA}}, institution = {Climate Policy Initiative}, year = {2018}, month = jan, url = {https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/CPI_UPDATED_Jan_18_Working_Paper_The_Causes_and_Consequences_of_Agricultural_Expansion_in_Matopiba_Working_Paper_CPI.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }