The impacts of the food-feed-fuel competition on Brazilian food supply

Authors

  • Danilo Rolim Dias de Aguiar UFSCAR
  • Gabriella Nunes da Costa UFSCAR

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25070/rea.v15i2.441

Abstract

The impact of the so-called "food-feed-fuel competition" on hunger has been a major concern worldwide. In addition, the environmental impacts caused by increases in the production of certain foods have made food supplying even more challenging. As few studies have dealt with this issue in Brazil, this paper aims to evaluate the country's nutritional situation since 1995, focusing on the effects of producing animal feed and biofuels on both the domestic availability of food and the role of Brazil as a food supplier to foreign countries. We estimate the quantity of nutrients produced in the country, compare them with the necessities of Brazilians and estimate the population that could be fed by means of Brazilian exports. The results indicate that despite the food-feed-fuel competition, the supply of food has increased and has been sufficient to nourish all Brazilians plus a number even larger of foreigners. As food availability is adequate, the large number of Brazilians still exposed to undernourishment reflects the limited access to food by low-income consumers. We also conclude that Brazil could contribute even more to feed foreigners if policies were implemented aiming to induce farmers to produce a different sort of products.

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Author Biographies

Danilo Rolim Dias de Aguiar, UFSCAR

Professor of Agricultural Economics and Dean, School of Management and Technology, Federal University of Sao Carlos. Sorocaba, SP, Brazil. danilo@ufscar.br

Gabriella Nunes da Costa, UFSCAR

Economist, Economics Master’s Student, School of Management and Technology, Federal University of Sao Carlos. Sorocaba, SP, Brazil.

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Published

2017-09-04

How to Cite

Aguiar, D. R. D. de, & Costa, G. N. da. (2017). The impacts of the food-feed-fuel competition on Brazilian food supply. Revista De Economia E Agronegócio, 15(2), 163–182. https://doi.org/10.25070/rea.v15i2.441

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