Agriculture refers to the art of science of cultivating the ground, including the harvesting of crops, and the rearing and management of livestock in order to sustain and enhance life. Over the years, agriculture has evolved from the basic forms of using simple tools of farming and keeping a few cattle, to a rapidly growing industry that has embraced the use of modern technology, powered machines and equipment, and the use of improved methods of farming and rearing animals both on small and large scale. The agricultural sector in today’s world has greatly diversified and it consists of developments such as agribusinesses, social enterprises, genetic modification, and the use of irrigation and greenhouse technologies to improve production. For long, agriculture has played a critical role as a backbone to the economic development of many countries in the world hence promoting industrialization and poverty eradication, especially in the rural areas. This essay seeks to examine whether agricultural developments can lift rural populations out of poverty, describing some of the main trends in agriculture and the implications of these trends for industrialization in the developing countries, a case study of Brazil.
The situation in Brazil
In the last 20 years, the Brazilian agricultural sector has developed rapidly with increase in the levels of production of the main commodities which include soybeans, coffee, sugar, maize, beef, pork, and poultry. This improvement in productivity of the agricultural sector has in turn led to positive growth of the country’s economy, especially on improving the social conditions and the quality of life among the inhabitant of rural areas. The quality of life improvement can be measure in the aspects of health, income, social services, and education. These aspects have greatly been improved in the rural areas of Brazil, hence significantly reducing the poverty indicators (Terence, 2003).
With increased productivity in the agricultural sector of Brazil, infrastructure has been tremendously improved as a result so as to support the rapidly growing industry. The country has over the years experienced significant improvements in the transport and production infrastructure which includes roads and waterways to ensure easy and faster access to markets and transportation of their produce, storage facilities to prevent the produce from going bad, and irrigation schemes to support more farming in the areas experiencing water shortages (Ziberman, 2012).
For agricultural development to lift people in rural areas out of poverty, there must be proper policies in place, developed and implemented effectively by the government. The Brazilian Government has over the years developed and implemented policies that have ensured that their citizens in the rural areas benefit from the booming agricultural sector in the country. Such policies include: state food purchases from farmers, drought prevention and mitigation, research and extension programmes, credit support and government purchases, access to land, and machinery and fertilizers, among others. Some of these policies and their implementation is discussed below(Bernstein, 2010, p. 87).
The Brazilian government initiated the policy on sate food purchases from farmers by a state company and local food supply firms so as to encourage farmers to produce more and to ensure that their produce is not spoilt or sold at poor market prices. According to this policy, the produce is purchased mainly from small scale farmers at prices that are agreed upon, but usually the prices are higher as compared to the market prices. The produce that is purchased is the sold to organizations run by the state such as schools, hospitals, and the army. This policy therefore ensures that the small-scale farmers have access to a secure market with good prices, and that there is a permanent supply of food to vulnerable groups such as school-going children and prisoners. This policy has seen so many small-scale farmers in the rural areas improve their social living standards hence overcoming poverty as a result (Terence, 2003).
Bernstein (2010, p. 82) states that research and extension programmes are very key in the development of the agricultural sector in any country. The Brazilian government has ensured that the state corporation in charge of research and extension services is fully funded to conduct research and develop new technologies especially for the tropical regions of Brazil. This research has yielded results as some of its innovations have made it possible for agriculture to be practiced in the tropical regions of the country, hence improving the livelihoods of the farmers in those rural regions.
The Brazilian government launched a credit support plan that provided funds for farmers to borrow and invest in their agricultural activities. The government offers these credit services with low interest rates that are usually below the normal rates in commercial banks. This has helped poor farmers to access capital for use in their agricultural activities such as agribusiness, irrigation schemes, production, and storage of produce. This ensures that farmers in the rural areas are able to carry out their agricultural activities normally and make profits that improve their lives in the long run (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2018).
Brazil has a policy on drought prevention and mitigation to order to reduce the risks associated with drought which include death and losses of crops and cattle. One of the most drought-stricken regions of Brazil is the north eastern region. This has made it the poorest region in the country as it cannot be agriculturally productive during the drought seasons. In order to help the poor rural farmers in this region become productive and evade poverty, the government has supplied the area with water tanks extensively to ensure that during the rainy seasons they collect and store enough water for use in agricultural activities. Also, the government ensures supply of water to the area using water trucks. This has ensured that the farmers in the region become productive in all seasons(Bernstein, 2010, p. 85). The government, through the research and extension programmes has developed crop and animal varieties that are resistant to drought, in addition to development of agricultural practices that use water efficiently. By doing this, the government has promoted significant agricultural developments this region, hence the farmers are able to produce more even during the drought season. Once they sell their produce, these farmers improve their social and living standards hence alleviation of poverty (Terence, 2003).
The main trends in Agriculture
According to the Encyclopedia Britannica (2018), in Brazil, agriculture has been at the backbone of economic development and industrialization. This has been made possible due to the adoption of several major trends in the agricultural sector that have had varied implications on the economy and industrialization this developing country. Some of these trends include: Technological advancements, infrastructural developments, financial management, specialization, large scale production, high value commodities, scientific developments, food processing, and agribusiness. These trends are discussed below in details and how they impact on industrialization in Brazil.
a) Technological advancements
Brazil is one of the most advanced countries in the use of advanced farm machinery, equipment, and modern technologies in increasing agricultural productivity. The agricultural sector in brazil has become a large, dynamic, and rapidly growing market for agricultural equipment due to the adoption of commercial farming in the country. Most farmers have invested heavily in the agricultural sector, targeting the global market. Therefore, in order for them to increase their produce to meet the high demands in the global market, the farmers have to adopt and use high technology farming machinery and equipment (Kapiya, 2012). This has led to major industrialization in the country, specifically in the sector of manufacturing and assembly of farming machinery and equipment so as to meet the farmers’ increasing demands. The Brazilian government has developed policies to support agricultural development in the country, mainly through offering loans to farmers so that they be able purchase the required farming machinery. Also, the government has set up policies to regulate the importation of farming machinery into the country by putting high tariffs on imports so as to promote the local industries that manufacture and assemble such machinery. This has seen the rapid growth in industrialization in Brazil(Bernstein, 2010, p. 88).
b) Infrastructural developments
Infrastructure is one of the major components that ensures that the agricultural sector flourishes or not. Agriculture is affected by road systems, waterways, railways systems, and air transport developments. This is because good infrastructure enables farmers to access their farms easily, increases easier and faster access to markets for their produce hence ensuring that their produce gets to the market on time before it gets destroyed, enables the farmers to use the modern farming machinery and equipment in their farms, and also ensures that the agricultural research and extension officers are able to access even the remotest parts of the country to offer their services to the farmers in those areas hence improving agriculture. The Brazilian government has made significant investments in ensuring that the country’s infrastructure is well developed to support the farmers in their activities. Infrastructure always promotes industrialization in any country (Terence, 2003).
Infrastructural developments have also been witnessed in terms of investments in the irrigation sector to enable the farmers to continue producing even during the drought seasons. The government has supplied the north west region of the country with water tanks to collect and store water during the rainy seasons. The government has also developed irrigation in the country through the use of different models such as gravity irrigation, flooding, furrowing, the mobile sprinkler systems, mechanized sprinkling, and use of perforated tubes. This has made Brazil advance in terms of irrigating much of its land for agricultural use hence directly impacting positively on industrialization(Bernstein, 2010, p. 79).
c) Agribusiness
Over the past few years, Brazil has been one of the largest players in the exportation of agricultural products in the world. This was as a result of the increased developments in the agricultural sector which led to increased productivity, therefore the country has surplus produce to sell to the global market. The government also has developed favorable public policies relating to exportation and tax policies so as to encourage increased export. This in turn earns the country significant amounts of foreign exchange, capital that is injected into boosting the economy and industrialization in the country. Brazil is a growing player in the agribusiness sector and there is increased demand from the global markets for its agricultural produce hence the need to develop more and better technologies to be able to meet such demands. This is promoting development of industries in the country such as processing and packaging industries(Schneider, Salvate and Cassol, 2016, p.61).
d) Scientific advancements
Scientific advancements in the field of agriculture include the technology of Genetically Modified Organisms, development of superior varieties of crops and animals that can be able to withstand harsh weather conditions such as drought, pest-resistant crops, and invention of methods that products that ensure increased productivity over short periods of time. Scientific developments have been increasingly witnessed in Brazil, leading to increased productivity (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2018). The research and extension corporations in the country, with the funding of the government has been able to develop crops that are drought-resistant for regions of north west Brazil that are prone to drought. This variety has helped the farmers in that region to continue with their agricultural activities even in the season of drought hence ensuring they are productive throughout the year. Genetics has contributed so much in the field of agriculture by increasing the production of Genetically Modified Organisms that lead to increased productivity levels in the sector. Genetically Modified Organisms are often made with qualities that are better and lacking in the normal products. These developments have led to the increased success in the agricultural sector which translates into economic gains and industrialization. For scientific advancements to be realized properly, relevant industries must be put in place hence industrialization and scientific development are complimentary (Kapiya, 2016).
e) Large scale production
One of the main trends in agriculture in the recent years has been investment on large scale production. Most farmers are getting into the habit of practicing either large scale farming or large-scale rearing of cattle in the form or ranches. This is as a result of increased markets for agricultural produce both locally and internationally, hence the need for increased production to meet the increased demand. With large-scale farming and cattle rearing, the farmers have to apply intensive agricultural investments in terms of farming machinery, modern equipment, and use of modernized methods or farming and rearing so as to achieve the desired production levels. This increases the purchase and demand for such machinery from the manufacturing and assembly industry hence promoting economic development and industrialization (Zilberman, 2012).
f) Specialization
Brazil is known to be very productive agriculturally when it comes to produce such as soybeans, coffee, sugar, maize, beef, pork, and poultry. These products are widely produced and they have a good market both locally and internationally. With increased modernization in the agricultural sector and provision of funds in the form of credit by the government, most farmers have opted to practiced specialized type of agriculture where they either rear cattle only, or engage in the farming of a certain specific crop(Schneider, Salvate andCassol, 2016, p.61).This ensures that the farmer put all his focus on developing that one product of concern hence yielding much produce as opposed to mixed farming. Also, this makes it easier to use certain specific modernized method of agriculture and farming machinery thus increasing productivity. With increased productivity comes increased income among the farmers and ultimately improved economy. Once the economy is stable, industrialization is able to thrive and develop significantly (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2018)
g) Food processing
Food processing has become one of the major trends in the agricultural sector today world over. This involves the processing of foods into forms that can be stored for longer periods, forms that can easily be consumed at anytime and anywhere, and in forms that can be transported to other parts of the world for sale (Zilberman, 2012). This includes processing products such as beef into canned beef, processing milk to produce several products such as cheese, yoghurt, and butter and so many other processing activities. The processed foods can be stored through refrigeration for longer periods of time without going bad, and can be exported to other countries by air transport or by water (Kapiya, 2016). Food processing utilizes modern technologies in order to ensure the products are properly processed. Brazil being a major exporter of processed food it requires new technologies day in day out so as to ensure that its role as the major food supplier in the world. This demand therefore calls for industrialization in the country (Kapiya, 2016).
All these main trends in agriculture have an impact on the industrialization of a country either directly or indirectly. Industrialization refers to a process of social and economic change whereby a human society is transformed from a pre-industrial to an industrial state. A developing country usually is a nation with an underdeveloped industrial base, and a low human developed index relative to other countries (Zilberman, 2012). For such a developing country to grow its economy and develop its industrial base so as to achieve the developed nation status, much effort has to be put on the economic activities of the country. Brazil being a developing nation, whose economy to a large extent depends on agriculture, has to strengthen the agricultural support intensively and support it by all means so as to ensure economic growth and industrialization is realized. For this to be achieved, much focus has to be put on the main trends of agriculture that have been discussed, and better agricultural and economic policies developed so as to regulate and promote the sector effectively (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2018).
Schneider, Salvate and Cassol (2016, p.61) state that once the agricultural sector is well developed and stabilized, and productivity is increased, relevant industries such as the processing industries will have to be developed so as to accommodate the increased produce. The industries range form manufacturing industries, processing industries, assembly industries, production industries, packaging, and transportation. Agriculture and industrialization are complementary in nature in that, when one develops, the other one develops too significantly so as to accommodate the changes brought by the other sector.
Some of these main trends of agriculture in the southern countries such as Brazil are compared to those of the developed countries of the north such as America, where industrialization started many years ago. America has more developed and sophisticated industrial system that provides more mechanized farming machinery, equipment, and modern methods of farming such as improved irrigation methods s compared to those of a developing country such as Brazil (Kapiya, 2016). Also, the scientific and technological advancements in America are way better than those in the developing countries, hence they are able to easily develop genetically modified organisms, resistant varieties of crops and animals, and substances such as herbicides and pesticide for use in their farms. These are more improved and of better qualities as compared to those of the southern developing countries. This enables America to experience more agricultural productivity than Brazil, hence more economical development and faster rates of industrialization as compared to the situation in Brazil(Schneider, Salvate and Cassol, 2016, p.61).
Conclusion
Agriculture still remains to be at the central of economic development and poverty eradication in many nations especially the developing countries such as Brazil. In these countries where agriculture is majorly depended upon for economic development, poverty eradication, and industrialization, the governments have the burden of developing favorable policies in the agricultural sector to regulate and promote the sector. These policies should be farmer friendly so as to ensure that the farmers get access to ready and secure markets, access to low interest credit and loans, access to modernized methods of farming and farming machinery, access to agricultural research and extension facilities, and support from the government in activities such as irrigation. Doing this will ensure that the farmers especially those in the rural areas have a good opportunity to develop their agricultural practices and business, and transform them into profit generating business ventures hence earning them a descent income.
Such developments in the agricultural sector will promote economic growth and to a greater extent, promote poverty eradication in the rural areas by eliminating the poverty indicators completely. Therefore, it is correct to state that agricultural development can lift rural populations out of poverty.
References
Bernstein, H. (2010) Neoliberal globalization and world agriculture (Chapter 5). In: Class Dynamics of Agrarian Change. Halifax: Fernwood. pp 79-88.
Byres, Terence (2003), ‘Agriculture and Development: The Dominant Othordoxy and an Alternative View’ in H.J. Chang (ed), Rethinking Development Economics.
Encyclopedia Britannica. (2018). Brazil | History, Map, Culture, Population, "Fcats – Agriculture. [online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/place/Brazil/Agriculture [Accessed 5 Mar. 2018].
Kapiya, V. (2016). Trends and Interventions within Agriculture Worlwide. Advances in Plants " Agriculture Research, 3(3).
Schneider, S., Salvate, N. and Cassol, A. (2016). Netsed Markets, Food Networks, and New Pathways for Rural Development in Brazil. Agriculture, 6(4), p.61.
Zilberman, D. (2012). Health and animal agriculture in developing countries. New York: Springer.
