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With research staff from more than 60 countries, and offices across the globe, IFPRI provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition in developing countries.

researcher spotlight

Elodie Becquey

Elodie Becquey is a Senior Research Fellow in the Nutrition, Diets, and Health Unit, based in IFPRI’s West and Central Africa office in Senegal. She has over 15 years of research experience in diet, nutrition, and food security in Africa, including countries such as Burkina Faso, Chad, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, and Tanzania.

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IFPRI currently has more than 600 employees working in over 80 countries with a wide range of local, national, and international partners.

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The Earth Planet

Brazil

countries and regions

Publications

Resource thumbnail

Working Paper

Deforestation and agricultural expansion in Brazil’s Amazon and Cerrado biomes: 2000-2024

2025Mingoti, Rafael; da Silveira, Hilton Luis Ferraz
Details

Deforestation and agricultural expansion in Brazil’s Amazon and Cerrado biomes: 2000-2024

The Amazon and Cerrado biomes, which together cover nearly two-thirds of Brazil, are critical to global ecological stability but face significant deforestation pressures driven by agriculture and livestock expansion. While the Cerrado, with its savanna-like vegetation, and the dense forests of the Amazon have distinct ecological characteristics, both have been similarly impacted by Brazil’s rapid agricultural and infrastructural development. Historically, these biomes were sparsely occupied until the 20th century, when large-scale projects such as the Belém-Brasília and Trans-Amazonian highways facilitated settlement and land conversion. During the 1980s, agricultural frontiers expanded rapidly, especially in the Cerrado. Research by Embrapa introduced advanced soil management techniques and crop adaptation strategies, enabling efficient tropical agriculture and converting native vegetation into productive farmland for crops like soy and corn. In the Amazon, where soils are less fertile, large-scale cattle ranching dominated, leading to the establishment of the infamous “arc of deforestation” along major transport routes.

Year published

2025

Authors

Mingoti, Rafael; da Silveira, Hilton Luis Ferraz

Citation

Mingoti, Rafael; and da Silveira, Hilton Luis Ferraz. 2025. Deforestation and agricultural expansion in Brazil’s Amazon and Cerrado biomes: 2000-2024. LAC Working Paper 40.Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176755

Country/Region

Brazil

Keywords

Americas; South America; Deforestation; Agriculture; Amazon River; Ecology; Livestock; Satellite Imagery

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Record type

Working Paper

Resource thumbnail

Working Paper

Deforestation in the MERCOSUR Countries: A comparative analysis of trends, policies, and governance (2000–2024)

2025Piñeiro, Valeria; Papendieck, Sabine; Elverdin, Pablo; Illescas, Nelson; Jorge, Nicolás; Mingoti, Rafael; da Silveira, Hilton Luis Ferraz; Campos, Silvia Kanadani; da Pereira, Vanessa da Fonseca
Details

Deforestation in the MERCOSUR Countries: A comparative analysis of trends, policies, and governance (2000–2024)

The countries of MERCOSUR—Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay (ABPU)—are home to some of South America’s most vital and diverse forest ecosystems. These include the globally significant Amazon rainforest, the biodiversity-rich Cerrado savannah, and the expansive and carbon-dense Gran Chaco dry forests. Together, these ecosystems regulate hydrological cycles, support endemic biodiversity, store vast amounts of carbon, and provide critical ecosystem services to rural and urban populations alike. The importance of these forests extends beyond their ecological functions. They are central to the region’s climate commitments under the Paris Agreement, to global biodiversity targets under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and to the livelihoods and cultural heritage of indigenous and rural communities. Moreover, forests are increasingly linked with international trade and investment. The European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), for example, imposes new traceability requirements on commodities linked to land-use change, and the EU-MERCOSUR partnership agreement with its trade and sustainable development chapter, further elevating the geopolitical and economic relevance of forest governance in the MERCOSUR countries.

Year published

2025

Authors

Piñeiro, Valeria; Papendieck, Sabine; Elverdin, Pablo; Illescas, Nelson; Jorge, Nicolás; Mingoti, Rafael; da Silveira, Hilton Luis Ferraz; Campos, Silvia Kanadani; da Pereira, Vanessa da Fonseca

Citation

Piñeiro, Valeria; Papendieck, Sabine; Elverdin, Pablo; Illescas, Nelson; Jorge, Nicolás; Mingoti, Rafael; et al. 2025. Deforestation in the MERCOSUR Countries: A comparative analysis of trends, policies, and governance (2000–2024). LAC Working Paper 38. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176401

Country/Region

Argentina; Brazil; Paraguay; Uruguay

Keywords

Americas; South America; Deforestation; Biodiversity; Trade Agreements; Land-use Change; Development; Agriculture; Policies

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Record type

Working Paper

Resource thumbnail

Working Paper

What do we know about the future of agriculture in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay? The Mercosur Outlook

2025Jorge, Nicolás; Campos, Silvia Kanadani; Gianatiempo, Juan Pablo; da Pereira, Vanessa da Fonseca; Masaro, Jimena Vicentin; Peri, Graciela Isabel; Piñeiro, Valeria
Details

What do we know about the future of agriculture in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay? The Mercosur Outlook

This report constitutes a long-term vision for key variables of the agricultural sector in the Mercosur countries: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay (or ABPU, with both terms used interchangeably). The objective is not to forecast the sector’s future but to serve as a reference tool, considering long-term drivers. This study addresses the question: what will happen to relevant agricultural variables over the next decade if current trends persist? Although based on a quantitative model, the results are not merely model outputs; they undergo a thorough revision process with experts from each country. The outcomes are also conditional on specific assumptions, including macroeconomic conditions, government policies, weather, international agreements, and other influencing factors.

Year published

2025

Authors

Jorge, Nicolás; Campos, Silvia Kanadani; Gianatiempo, Juan Pablo; da Pereira, Vanessa da Fonseca; Masaro, Jimena Vicentin; Peri, Graciela Isabel; Piñeiro, Valeria

Citation

Jorge, Nicolás; Campos, Silvia Kanadani; Gianatiempo, Juan Pablo; da Pereira, Vanessa da Fonseca; Masaro, Jimena Vicentin; Peri, Graciela Isabel; and Piñeiro, Valeria. 2025. What do we know about the future of agriculture in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay? The Mercosur Outlook. LAC Working Paper 39. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176398

Country/Region

Argentina; Brazil; Paraguay; Uruguay

Keywords

Americas; South America; Agricultural Sector; Policies; Food Security; Supply Chains; Exports

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Record type

Working Paper

Datasets

Dataset

Evaluation of Extension Reforms in Brazil

2018International Food Policy Research Institute; State University of Campinas; Federal University of São Carlos; Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services; Latin American Network for Rural Extension Services
Details

Evaluation of Extension Reforms in Brazil

To evaluate the impacts of the rural extension policy (PNATER), five territories were selected in three different Brazilian states, including Alto Jequitinhonha (Minas Gerais State), Cantuquiriguaçu (Paraná State), Pontal do Paranapanema (São Paulo State), São Paulo’s Southwestern (São Paulo State), and Vale do Ribeira (Paraná State). An indicator system was elaborated to collect and analyze data from farmers and extension agents in each territory. 12 indicators were proposed to accomplish the desired evaluation. These indicators express the meaningful aspects of the extension reform policy document’s values, principles, and objectives. Data collection instruments were composed of questionnaires focusing on objective questions, allowing only closed answers to identify the interviewee’s perception of his or her reality. The possibilities for responses were elaborated on a five-point Likert scale—from the least to the greatest—asking respondents to indicate how much they agree or disagree, approve or disapprove, or believe to be true or false. The questionnaire for family farmers was composed of 56 questions, encompassing different indicators, among which three were specific for black rural and indigenous communities. The researchers also added questions from the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale. In total researchers conducted 1,000 interviews with farmers and 87 interviews with extensionists (in some territories the goal of 20 interviews with the extensionists in each territory was not achieved due to the difficulty in contacting them or their unavailability in the study period) in the five territories between August 2014 to January 2015.

Year published

2018

Authors

International Food Policy Research Institute; State University of Campinas; Federal University of São Carlos; Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services; Latin American Network for Rural Extension Services

Citation

International Food Policy Research Institute; State University of Campinas; Federal University of São Carlos; Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services; Latin American Network for Rural Extension Services. 2018. Evaluation of Extension Reforms in Brazil. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/EFUW0R. Harvard Dataverse. Version 1.

Country/Region

Brazil

Keywords

Americas; Latin America and the Caribbean; South America; Advisory Services; Extension Policies

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.7910/dvn/efuw0r Source record

Record type

Dataset

Dataset

ASTI Brazil Database

2016Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators
Details

ASTI Brazil Database

This dataset includes national-level time series data on researcher capacity by qualification level, age bracket, discipline mix, and commodity, as well as a detailed breakdown of agricultural research investment across government, higher education, nonprofit, and (where possible) private for-profit agricultural research agencies. These data were derived through a series of primary survey rounds conducted by IFPRI’s Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators (ASTI) and in close collaboration with a large network of national collaborators. The ASTI data constitute a powerful resource for national and regional research managers, policymakers, donor organizations, and other stakeholders. ASTI’s key indicators provide both a diagnostic tool for assessing the allocation and use of existing resources and an advocacy tool for increasing resources and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of resource use. The ASTI website offers interactive pages that allow users to access country-level time series data, make cross-country comparisons, create graphs, and download country datasets and publications as well as detailed institutional information on agencies involved in agricultural research. The interactive benchmarking tool on the ASTI website is a convenient map-based instrument allowing users to make cross-country comparisons and rankings based on a wide set of financial and human resource indicators. The detailed ASTI datasets are available in an easy-to-use data download tool. Detailed information on definitions, methodology, and calculation procedures are available at www.asti.cgiar.org

Year published

2016

Authors

Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators

Citation

Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators. 2016. ASTI Brazil database. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://www.asti.cgiar.org/brazil. Harvard Dataverse. Version 1. https://www.asti.cgiar.org/brazil

Country/Region

Brazil

Keywords

Americas; Latin America and the Caribbean; South America; Agricultural Research

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-NC-3.0

Source

Source record

Project

Policies, Institutions, and Markets

Record type

Dataset

Dataset

Brazil, Social Accounting Matrix (SAM), 1995-1996: Aggregated Version

2003International Food Policy Research Institute
Details

Brazil, Social Accounting Matrix (SAM), 1995-1996: Aggregated Version

The aggregated and disaggregated Brazil Social Accounting Matrices for 1995-96 are primarily based on the 1995 Input-Output Table and National Accounts for Brazil, as well as the 1995-96 Agricultural Census. The disaggregated SAM has a total of 119 accounts. This SAM is characterized by its disaggregation of agricultural production activities by region (Amazon, Northeast, Center-west, and South and Southeast) and farm size (small and large). The aggregated version is based on the disaggregated SAM. It has a total of 71 accounts; agricultural activities and factors are not disaggregated by region. For a description of the construction and use of these SAMs, see Research Report #129, Balancing Agricultural Development and Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon.

Year published

2003

Authors

International Food Policy Research Institute

Citation

International Food Policy Research Institute. 2003. Brazil, Social Accounting Matrix (SAM), 1995-1996 — Aggregated Version. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. http://hdl.handle.net/1902.1/17084. Harvard Dataverse. Version 1.

Country/Region

Brazil

Keywords

Americas; Latin America and the Caribbean; South America; Social Analysis; Agricultural Censuses

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-NC-3.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Dataset

Blogs

U.S.-China trade war 2.0: What are the implications for global oilseed markets?
IFPRI Blog
 | 
April 21, 2025

U.S.-China trade war 2.0: What are the implications for global oilseed markets?

By Joseph Glauber, Juan Pablo Gianatiempo, and Valeria Piñeiro

Key agrifood products may see abrupt shifts.

High global phosphate prices pose potential food security risks
IFPRI Blog
 | 
March 20, 2025

High global phosphate prices pose potential food security risks

By Delphine Leconte-Demarsy and Brendan Rice

Pandemic and Ukraine crisis impacts linger.

How countries have coped with recent agricultural trade disruptions
IFPRI Blog
 | 
February 26, 2025

How countries have coped with recent agricultural trade disruptions

By Abdullah Mamun and Joseph Glauber

Lessons from IFPRI research.

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Events

IFPRI @ 30th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP30)
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

November 10 to 21, 2025

IFPRI @ 30th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP30)

IFPRI is pleased to participate in the 30th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP30) being held in Belém, Brazil from November 10 to November 21, 2025. COP30 builds on progress of previous COPs to turn the ambitions of the Paris Agreement into reality. Hosted in the Amazonian city of Belém, the topics of […]

Global Climate-Smart Agriculture Conference
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

November 7, 2025, 11:30 – 1:00 pm

Global Climate-Smart Agriculture Conference

Achieving the goals of climate smart agriculture (CSA)—increased profitability, adaptation, and mitigation—and scaling climate action require explicit consideration of gender and other intersectional identities. Failing to design climate actions to include and benefit women and other vulnerable groups misses opportunities to build resilience capacities, which would enable these groups to contribute to more sustainable and […]

School meal programs and regenerative agriculture: Generating evidence on sustainability tradeoffs
IFPRI Program/Country Event

 | 

October 16, 2025, 10:00 – 11:00 am

School meal programs and regenerative agriculture: Generating evidence on sustainability tradeoffs

Can school meals serve both children and the planet? This webinar will explore how school meal programs intersect with regenerative agriculture, unpacking the environmental, economic, and social tradeoffs of scaling sustainable feeding models. Drawing on global initiatives, including Brazil’s national school feeding program, this session will highlight existing evidence and persistent gaps on the sustainability […]

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News

November 05, 2020 | In the News

Eradicate corona worldwide? ‘More money for development cooperation’ (MSN Lifestyle)

MSN Lifestyle (Belgium) published an article stating that over the past six months, millions of people have become malnourished because of their job losses. “We are 20 to 25 years back in time.” In countries such as India, Brazil, or South Africa, no work means no or bad food. And it is precisely due to malnutrition that the virus can […]

July 07, 2020 | In the News

Brazil tries to boost agriculture in the Ottawa Group (AviSite) 

AviSite (Argentina) reported that Brazil stresses that agricultural trade has shown resilience so far. International markets remained relatively stable, despite strong pressures on production, supply chains and rapid changes in demand. Crops have been above expectations; food stocks are well supplied and international prices seem to be under control. Although a global food crisis due to the pandemic is unlikely, […]

January 29, 2020 | In the News

[GangMoon Sung’s economic magnification] ‘Best student’ why ‘diagnosis of growth’ is needed in Korea (Korean Economic Magazine)

Korean Economic Magazine published an article on structural change and economic growth. The article references the findings in the book Structural Change, Fundamentals and Growth coedited by IFPRI Research Fellow Margaret McMillan, Dani Rodrik, and Claudia Sepulveda. According to the book, investment in the basic conditions highlighted by the endogenous growth theory of macroeconomics and the structural changes that are important to […]

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Projects

Agricultural Transformation and Policy: What are the policy priorities?

Agricultural Transformation and Policy: What are the policy priorities?

Achieving agricultural transformation in a country – the transformation of an agri-food system from a high prevalence of subsistence farming to high productivity, so that……

Energy use in agriculture

Energy use in agriculture

Irrigation, mechanization or fertilizer?—tradeoffs and food security implications What is the challenge? Agricultural intensification through the use of high-yielding crop varieties, fertilizers, irrigation, and other agricultural……

Food Security Portal

Food Security Portal

Volatile food prices, climate-change-driven shocks, conflict, economic downturns, and high population growth continue to raise serious concerns about food security and nutrition in many parts……

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