Brazil gains more prominent role in global agricultural markets
A report entitled The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets 2018, recently published by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), places Brazil as the world’s third biggest exporter of agricultural goods. In the document, FAO warns about the impact of climate change on agriculture and food security on the planet up to 2050. The information was given by UN News.
In the document, released Monday (Sep. 17), FAO reveals that the value of global trade in agriculture more than tripled in 15 years. Every year, the agency reports, the trade in agricultural goods rose over six percent globally. The flow of international commerce in the sector went from $570 billion in 2000 to $1.6 trillion in 2016.
Brazil’s involvement
Brazil is reported as the world’s third exporter of agricultural goods, following the European Union and the United States. The increase in Brazil’s involvement leaped from 3.2 percent in 2000 to 5.7 percent in 2016. Brazil is also said to have gained a considerably more prominent role in the world’s agricultural markets among emerging economies, alongside China, India, Indonesia, and Russia.
According to the report, the main reason behind the boost in agricultural trade was the economic growth experienced globally, as driven by the world’s gross domestic product, which doubled since 2000.
Ongoing increase and threats
Other factors contributing to the good performance in agriculture include the increase in the world’s population, major strides in transport, information and communication technology, and a better access to the market. Global production continued on the rise in order to meet the demand and stimulate commerce.
The document, however, cautions about the considerable impact of climate changes on agriculture and food security. Factors such as the increase in average temperatures throughout the world, altered rainfall patterns, a rise in the sea level, extreme climate events, and possible damage caused by plagues and diseases may affect production. The effects on agriculture, livestock, fishing, and aquaculture are likely to be significant.
Arid and semiarid regions will be exposed to less rain and higher temperatures, which is expected to bring about losses in agriculture.
Countries in temperate regions, in turn, are likely to benefit from warmer climates. As a result, climate change may aggravate existing inequalities and further widen the gap between developed and developing countries.
