Brazilian research brings pioneering spirit, entrepreneurship and innovations to national corn, sorghum and millet chains

Published Apr 2, 2024

Tridge summary

Brazilian agriculture has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past few decades, with grain production soaring from 38 million tons in 1975 to about 310 million tons in 2023, despite only a twofold increase in planted area. This leap in productivity and sustainability has been largely attributed to the research and innovation spearheaded by Embrapa Milho e Sorgo, a key unit of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa). The unit has been instrumental in developing tropical corn innovations during the 1970s and 1980s, particularly for the Cerrado biome, leading to the creation of early-cycle cultivars that are more productive and drought-resistant. Embrapa's efforts, including the maintenance of the Genetic Active Bank (BAG) for Corn, Sorghum, and Millet, underscore the critical role of science, technology, and innovation in advancing agriculture, focusing on both productivity and environmental sustainability.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

In recent decades, Brazilian agriculture has modernized, gaining new positions and becoming more complex. To its traditional role of producing food, fiber and energy, new concepts were incorporated, taking into account the sustainability of agricultural businesses, mainly in aspects linked to food and nutritional security, adding value, and people's quality of life. and concern for the environment. During this period, agriculture also became one of the main driving forces for production, transformation and expansion of consumption options that boosted the Brazilian market – notably urban – today. “Over the last five decades, Brazilian grain production has jumped from 38 million tons in 1975 to around 310 million tons in 2023, which represents an increase of almost eight times in grain production, with a increase of only two times in the planted area. “This evident “land-saving effect” was only possible from increases in productivity, resulting mainly from investments in research ...

Source: Opresenterural