Food Security: The Brazilian case

This country policy report examines the relationship between international trade and food security in Brazil, noting that the country transitioned from a net food importer to a net exporter over three decades through increased production and productivity.

• Brazil transitioned from being a net importer of food to a net exporter in less than thirty years. This shift was driven by increased productivity and the incorporation of new areas of the country into production. The growth of large agricultural enterprises lowered production costs and improved access to global commodity trade without negatively impacting the internal market; consequently, aggregated data from the last 20 years suggests international trade has not adversely affected Brazil's food security.
• At the national level, Brazil has sufficient food availability for its population, with per capita food availability in grain equivalent exceeding 340 kg per year, which is approximately one third more than nutritional requirements. Food insecurity in Brazil is attributed to the inability of poor citizens to afford food rather than a lack of availability, a problem the government addresses through various programs.
• Between the late 1990s and late 2000s, Brazil's import market shares decreased for several commodities, including dry beans (10.82 to 3.25 per cent), maize (2.38 to 1.02 per cent), rice (6.1 to 2.39 per cent), soybeans (2.15 to 0.13 per cent), refined sugar (0.0003 to 0.0002 per cent), and wheat (6.03 to 5.57 per cent). Conversely, exports increased for these same commodities, with maize rising from 7.17 to 10,933.46 kilotons and soybeans from 9,274.75 to 23,733.78 kilotons.
• In 2007, Brazil held significant global market shares in the export of soybeans (31.90 per cent), refined sugar (29.95 per cent), and maize (9.97 per cent). Regarding food price increases between 2006 and 2008, the price of fertilizers in Brazil was a primary factor alongside population growth and higher incomes, as the country's status as a major agricultural producer makes fertilizer costs a significant part of production expenses.

APA

Peduto,, W. A. N. D. A. (2010). Food Security: The Brazilian case. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/food-security-brazilian-case

Chicago

Peduto,, Weber Antonio Neves do Amaral,Alessandro. Food Security: The Brazilian case. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2010. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/food-security-brazilian-case.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Peduto, |first1=Weber Antonio Neves do Amaral,Alessandro |title=Food Security: The Brazilian case |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=27 September 2010 |url=https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/food-security-brazilian-case |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{peduto2010food, author = {Peduto,, Weber Antonio Neves do Amaral,Alessandro}, title = {{Food Security: The Brazilian case}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2010}, month = sep, url = {https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/food-security-brazilian-case}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }