THE CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF AGRICULTURAL EXPANSION IN MATOPIBA

This research paper analyzes the drivers and socioeconomic impacts of agricultural expansion in the Matopiba region of Brazil between 1995 and 2012. The author finds that expansion was heavily concentrated in the Cerrado biome, driven by technological innovations in soil management and soy varieties. This shift led to significant increases in GDP per capita and improved access to basic consumer goods and electricity, though it had no significant effect on migration or educational investments.

• Agricultural expansion in the Matopiba region was primarily concentrated in municipalities within the Cerrado biome. Between 1995 and 2012, cropland in Cerrado municipalities expanded 3.6 percentage points more than in non-Cerrado municipalities, and the value of agricultural production grew 140% more.
• The expansion of agriculture was accompanied by a significant shift in crop mix, characterized by a substantial increase in soy cultivation and a decrease in the cultivation of rice and cassava. Specifically, the share of cropland for soy grew 18 percentage points more in Cerrado municipalities, while the share for rice fell by nearly 12 percentage points.
• Agricultural expansion positively impacted the overall economic performance of Cerrado municipalities. From 1999 to 2012, GDP per capita in these areas increased 11% more than in non-Cerrado municipalities, driven by a 37% increase in agricultural GDP per capita and a 10% 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. In contrast, the expansion had no significant effect on manufacturing GDP.
• Agricultural expansion led to improved access to basic infrastructure and durable goods in Cerrado municipalities between 2000 and 2010. The share of households with electricity increased 7.3 percentage points faster, televisions 5.2 percentage points faster, and refrigerators 4.3 percentage points faster than in non-Cerrado areas.
• Despite economic gains, agricultural expansion in the Matopiba region did not result in differential changes in migration patterns or human capital investments, such as school attendance or adult schooling levels, when compared to non-Cerrado municipalities.

APA

BRAGANÇA, A. (2016). THE CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF AGRICULTURAL EXPANSION IN MATOPIBA. Climate Policy Initiative. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/The_Causes_and_Consequences_of_Agricultural_Expansion_in_Matopiba_Working_Paper_CPI-1.pdf

Chicago

BRAGANÇA, ARTHUR. THE CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF AGRICULTURAL EXPANSION IN MATOPIBA. Climate Policy Initiative, 2016. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/The_Causes_and_Consequences_of_Agricultural_Expansion_in_Matopiba_Working_Paper_CPI-1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=BRAGANÇA |first1=ARTHUR |title=THE CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF AGRICULTURAL EXPANSION IN MATOPIBA |publisher=Climate Policy Initiative |date=July 2016 |url=https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/The_Causes_and_Consequences_of_Agricultural_Expansion_in_Matopiba_Working_Paper_CPI-1.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bragana2016causes, author = {BRAGANÇA, ARTHUR}, title = {{THE CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF AGRICULTURAL EXPANSION IN MATOPIBA}}, institution = {Climate Policy Initiative}, year = {2016}, month = jul, url = {https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/The_Causes_and_Consequences_of_Agricultural_Expansion_in_Matopiba_Working_Paper_CPI-1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }