O IMPACTO DO CRÉDITO RURAL NA AGRICULTURA BRASILEIRA E NO MEIO AMBIENTE

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) analyzes the impact of rural credit on Brazilian agriculture and the environment. Using data from 2002 to 2015, the study finds that increased rural credit significantly boosts agricultural productivity and municipal GDP while promoting a shift from low-productivity pasture to agricultural crops, which in turn supports the expansion of forest areas.

• Rural credit is the primary agricultural policy in Brazil, accounting for approximately 40% of total agricultural production, which totaled about R$ 225 billion in the 2018-2019 harvest year.
• The Brazilian government manages rural credit through two main plans: the Plano Agrícola e Pecuário (PAP) for medium and large producers, and the Programa Nacional de Fortalecimento da Agricultura Familiar (PRONAF) for small producers. In the 2018-2019 harvest year, PAP represented R$ 194 billion and PRONAF represented R$ 31 billion.
• A 1% increase in rural credit loans leads to measurable growth across several economic indicators: municipal agricultural production increases by 0.29%, agricultural GDP by 0.17%, total municipal GDP by 0.05%, agricultural productivity by 0.21%, and rural agricultural worker productivity by 0.22%.
• Increased rural credit has a positive impact on land use by shifting land from less productive uses to more productive ones. Specifically, for every 1% increase in credit, there is a 0.08% increase in agricultural areas, a 0.11% reduction in pasture areas, and a 0.02% increase in forest areas.
• The current rural credit distribution system is described as outdated, complex, and fragmented, based on a model from the 1960s. Access to credit is often determined by the geographic location of bank branches and cooperatives rather than the agricultural potential of the area, creating uncertainty for producers.
• The document recommends that rural credit be used to reconcile production with conservation goals, as productivity gains can reduce the pressure to deforest. It also suggests that any changes to the credit policy should be introduced gradually to maintain stability for producers with financial constraints.

APA

Assunção, J., & Souza, P. (2019). O IMPACTO DO CRÉDITO RURAL NA AGRICULTURA BRASILEIRA E NO MEIO AMBIENTE. Climate Policy Initiative. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/PB-Impact-Rural-Credit-Brazilian-Agriculture-PT-17Abr-1.pdf

Chicago

Assunção, Juliano, and Priscila Souza. O IMPACTO DO CRÉDITO RURAL NA AGRICULTURA BRASILEIRA E NO MEIO AMBIENTE. Climate Policy Initiative, 2019. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/PB-Impact-Rural-Credit-Brazilian-Agriculture-PT-17Abr-1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Assunção |first1=Juliano |last2=Souza |first2=Priscila |title=O IMPACTO DO CRÉDITO RURAL NA AGRICULTURA BRASILEIRA E NO MEIO AMBIENTE |publisher=Climate Policy Initiative |date=March 2019 |url=https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/PB-Impact-Rural-Credit-Brazilian-Agriculture-PT-17Abr-1.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{assuno2019impacto, author = {Assunção, Juliano and Souza, Priscila}, title = {{O IMPACTO DO CRÉDITO RURAL NA AGRICULTURA BRASILEIRA E NO MEIO AMBIENTE}}, institution = {Climate Policy Initiative}, year = {2019}, month = mar, url = {https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/PB-Impact-Rural-Credit-Brazilian-Agriculture-PT-17Abr-1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }