OBSERVATIONS ON BRAZILIAN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH ANO PRODUCTIVITY
ROBERT E. EVENSON
Abstract
Prior to 1970 Brazil's agricultura! research program was concentrated in the state of São Paulo and directed toward the impro~ment of a limited number of commodities. At that time much less was invested in agricultura! research than in comparable countries in Latin °Arnerica and Asia. With the expansion brought about by EMBRAPA, agricultural research in Brazil now has more balance regionally and across commodities. It has also become more applied in its focus. Brazil now has one of the strongest research systems for countries of its size and levei of development. An analysis of the economic irnpact of the pre-EMBRAPA researi:h prograrn showed that it had large economic irnpacts in_ the state of São Paulo and in the South. These impacts were realized only in commodities where a significant research program had been in place for a considerable period. Toe north and northeast realized very little in the way of benefits from pre-EMBRAPA research prograrns. Nonetheless the pre-EMBRAPA research prograrns were highly productive and a high rate of retum was realized on this investment. Toe prospects for high economic benefits from EMBRAPA's supported research are very good.
Keywords
Referências
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