Search Climate Insights Directory

This research paper by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-RIO) examines barriers to accessing the National Program for Strengthening Family Farming (PRONAF) in Brazil. It identifies significant regional disparities in credit access, particularly favoring the South, and highlights technical assistance (ATER) and cooperative membership as critical determinants for expanding financial inclusion among smallholder farmers.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative/Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (CPI/PUC-RIO) analyzes financial flows for the bioeconomy in Brazil between 2021 and 2023. It finds that while total finance averaged US$ 3.213 billion per year, the vast majority is concentrated in the planted forest and bioenergy sectors, leaving biodiversity-based products and native forests significantly underfunded.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-RIO) analyzes financial flows disbursed to the bioeconomy in Brazil between 2021 and 2023. It identifies a heavy concentration of funding in the planted forest and bioenergy sectors, driven largely by private domestic sources and innovative financial instruments, while highlighting a significant funding gap for biodiversity products and the native forest sector.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes inequalities in access to rural credit for family farmers in Brazil, specifically focusing on the National Plan for Family Farming (PRONAF). The report finds that credit is highly concentrated among larger family properties, producers in the South region, and those producing grains, while the smallest producers and those in the North and Northeast face significant financial constraints.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative/Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes inequalities in access to rural credit for family farmers in Brazil. It finds that while the National Plan for Family Farming (PRONAF) receives significant government subsidies, credit access is highly concentrated among larger properties, specific geographic regions (primarily the South), and grain production, leaving the most vulnerable small-scale producers underserved.

This briefing by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) and Agroicone presents proposals to integrate sustainability and climate resilience into Brazil's 2023/24 Agricultural Plan (Plano Safra). The document outlines three primary sets of recommendations: aligning rural credit rules with sustainability goals, improving agricultural risk management through insurance subsidies, and prioritizing the allocation of Constitutional Financing Funds (FCFs) for small producers and low-carbon practices.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) maps Brazil's public policies for climate mitigation and adaptation in agriculture, evaluating them through the lens of a 'just transition.' It identifies a framework of policies that aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase resilience, while highlighting the need to better include vulnerable groups such as family farmers and traditional communities to ensure social and economic equity.

This technical note by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) and Agroicone presents proposals to integrate sustainability into Brazil's Plano Safra 2023/24. The document advocates for aligning rural credit and insurance with climate goals, specifically by increasing funding for low-carbon agriculture programs, improving risk management through climate zoning, and redirecting constitutional funds toward small-scale producers and sustainable practices.

This policy brief examines the challenges of rural insurance in Brazil amidst climate change, using soybean production as a case study. It finds that while the insurance market has grown, it remains geographically concentrated in the South and Center-West, leaving high-production, high-risk areas like MATOPIBA underserved. Using machine learning, the authors identify precipitation, wind, and fire risk as primary drivers of losses. The report recommends expanding insurance coverage to vulnerable regions, utilizing yield data for pricing in areas with limited insurance history, and aligning government subsidies with sustainable agricultural practices.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes two Brazilian rural insurance programs: the Programa de Garantia da Atividade Agropecuária (Proagro) and the Programa de Subvenção ao Prêmio do Seguro Rural (PSR). It examines how the design of these policies creates different incentives for producers, experts, and financial agents, arguing that Proagro's structure leads to higher information asymmetry and lower public spending efficiency compared to the PSR.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes the Constitutional Financing Funds (FCFs) in Brazil's North, Northeast, and Center-West regions. It finds a significant disconnect between the funds' social objectives—reducing income disparities and supporting small producers—and the actual allocation of resources, which has become concentrated among larger producers and specific municipalities due to overly broad eligibility criteria.

This report provides a gendered analysis of employment and skills within Brazil's large-scale mining (LSM) sector from 2009 to 2019. It examines the 'feminization' of the workforce, identifying that while female employment has increased, significant gaps remain in remuneration, leadership representation, and the division of technical tasks. The study combines quantitative data from the Annual Social Information List (RAIS) with qualitative interviews from three mining companies to assess how diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) strategies are being implemented.

This research paper analyzes the role of the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) in financing agricultural investments in Brazil. It finds that BNDES credit has grown significantly since 1995, primarily supporting crop activities (especially soy) and the acquisition of tractors and harvesting equipment. The credit is heavily concentrated in the Midwestern region and is predominantly operated by private financial agents, such as banks owned by machine manufacturers, which contrasts with the broader Brazilian rural credit market dominated by public banks.

This report analyzes the role of the Brazilian National Development Economic and Social Bank (BNDES) in providing investment credit for the Brazilian agricultural sector, focusing on the financing of machinery and equipment.

This policy brief analyzes the role of credit cooperatives in Brazil's rural credit system, highlighting their growth during economic instability and their function as a mechanism for financial inclusion for small and medium-sized rural producers.

This policy brief analyzes the role of credit cooperatives in Brazil's rural credit system, highlighting their ability to provide financial inclusion for small-scale producers, particularly during economic crises. It examines the structural relationship between cooperatives and commercial banks, the geographical distribution of credit, and the regulatory advantages that allow cooperatives to operate more efficiently than traditional banks in rural areas.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the complexity and fragmentation of the National Rural Credit System (SNCR) in Brazil. It argues that the current system, based on a 1960s framework, creates artificial obstacles to credit access and inconsistent loan conditions based on geographic location, farm size, and revenue, rather than agricultural potential.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) and the Núcleo de Avaliação de Políticas Climáticas da PUC-Rio (NAPC) analyzes the complexity and fragmentation of the Brazilian rural credit system. It argues that the current policy design, based on a structure from the 1960s, creates significant obstacles to credit access and financing conditions due to a multiplicity of rules tied to geographic location, property size, and agricultural revenue.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) and the Núcleo de Avaliação de Políticas Climáticas da PUC-Rio (NAPC), in partnership with the Banco Central do Brasil (Bacen), analyzes the distribution channels of rural credit in Brazil. The document argues that the current design of rural credit policy and its distribution through banks and cooperatives create artificial fluctuations and uncertainties for producers, as access to financing is often determined by the geographic presence of financial institutions rather than local agricultural potential.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) analyzes the drivers of distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) generation in Brazil. Based on a study of 5,563 municipalities, the report finds that demand-side factors—such as income (GDP), population size, and electricity tariffs—are more significant drivers of solar adoption than the availability of solar radiation. The authors argue that policies to mitigate climate risk must address these demand-side barriers to encourage adoption in high-potential regions, particularly the poorest areas of the country.