Analysis of family farming from the perspective of the adoption of new technologies in Latin America and the impact of family farming on the Brazilian economy and food production

Result of Service It is expected that the results of the study will contribute to the improvement of public policies and increase institutional capacity to formulate proposals to strengthen the role of family farming in the economy and in food production in light of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Work Location Brasília

Expected duration 240 Days

Duties and Responsibilities Science and technology play a key role in the development of world economies, with an increasingly accentuated incorporation of innovations in all sectors of the economy. The digitization of society has accelerated, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic, which intensified the use of digital technologies in various activities, such as studies, work, financial services, government, etc. Agriculture did not go unscathed, on the contrary, there is an increasing use of technologies in the rural sector. The so-called agriculture 4.0, which has even been the subject of public policy by the federal government, has advanced by leaps and bounds, as a result of both private investment and the historic role of the Empresa Brasileira de Agropecuária (Embrapa) as one of the largest agricultural research companies in the world. As a result, rural producers speak with increasing familiarity about big data, automation, drones, artificial intelligence, among other technologies that until recently were restricted to the computing world and some industrial sectors. However, not all rural producers are and will be able to have access to new field technologies. As in the Green Revolution, in the 1960s, when the application of agricultural inputs, such as pesticides, fertilizers and seeds, spread, in addition to mechanization and abundant supply of agricultural credit. Despite the impact on Brazilian agriculture, as it has become a leader in the world production of various products, such as corn, soy, coffee, sugar, etc., the agricultural revolution widened the social gap since the resources were concentrated among the large landowners in certain regions and for certain cultures. A large number of small producers and family farmers were left out of this process for several decades. It was only in the 1990s that family farmers began to be served by specific public policies. With agro 4.0 there is this risk again, if policies are not directed to the different strata of rural producers, regions, and products. Observing the demands of this group and seeking to reconcile new technologies or even stimulate the adaptation of certain technologies to their demands is essential so that the gap among the different groups does not increase. And, in addition, innovations are needed to meet the needs of this group, which contributes so much to national agricultural production. On the other hand, as in the case of 2.0 technologies, the question is asked why the adoption of technologies is not uniform from the standpoint of adoption by producers? Why do some producers, even family farmers, adopt technologies and others delay this adoption? Only by understanding the needs and demands of a certain group is it possible to design adequate public policies that consider their different technical, social and economic configurations. Following this line of analysis of family farming, the fourth, fifth and sixth products seek to analyze the contribution of family farming to food production in Brazil. There are several studies on the subject, with one aspect considering that family farming contributes about 70% of Brazilian agricultural production and another aspect that states that the value is less than 30% of total agricultural production. The objective of this work is not to affirm that family farming is less important than some studies suggest, but to bring to light the various studies on the participation of family farming in Brazilian agricultural production and to discuss that, regardless of its position, family farming is more important to society than its added value. It is necessary to consider the type of product that family farming produces, which tend to be healthier for the population, as well as the impact it has on poorer regions, generating employment and income in many locations. . In this way, studying and analyzing Brazilian family farming contributes to the accomplishment of IPEA's mission of providing technical and institutional support to government actions for the formulation of public policies and Brazilian development programs. And both proposed studies are in accordance with one of the guidelines present in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) under the coordination of the United Nations (UN) by 2030 to double agricultural productivity and income of small food producers, particularly women , indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists and fishermen, including through secure and equal access to land, other productive resources and inputs, knowledge, financial services, markets, and non-agricultural value-adding and employment opportunities.

Objectives: The study aims to: - Analyze the history of the adoption of technology in the rural sector by family farmers in Latin America; - Survey the demands of family farming in terms of infrastructure and production technologies and which ones could be used and adapted for this group of producers in Latin America; - Analyze the barriers for family farmers to adopt technologies in the rural sector and how to reduce inequality in this sector in Latin America by using new technologies; - - Analyze the various contributions on the role of family farming in Brazilian agricultural production; - Survey the role of family farming for a given set of products, producers and regions; - Discuss the role of family farming for the Brazilian economy in a broad way, not only in terms of the added value of production, but also in terms of the positive impacts of a regional and social nature, along with effects on food supplies.

Qualifications/special skills Academic Qualifications: doctorate in economics. Experience: - minimum of 3 years in research and teaching in agriculture, rural development, family farming, agricultural production chains, technological innovation in agriculture and/or related areas. - publication related to the consultancy topic. Language: a) Fluency in Portuguese; b) Intermediate English.

Additional Information Outputs/ Works Assignment: Product 1 – Technical document containing the bibliography survey on technology adoption by family farmers in Latin America..To be submitted 60 days after start date. Product 2 - Technical document containing a survey of the main needs of family farming in terms of infrastructure for production and 4.0 technologies that can be used by this group in Latin America. To be submitted 90 days after start Product 3 - Final report with the consolidation of studies on the adoption of technologies by family farming and the main obstacles to their adoption in Latin America. To be submitted 120 days after start Product 4. Technical document containing the survey of studies that deal with the role of family farming in national agricultural production. To be submitted 180 days after start Product 5. Technical document containing the analysis of the participation of family farming in national agricultural production based on selected products. To be submitted 210 days after start Product 6. Final report with the consolidation of studies on the participation of family farming in national agricultural production and considerations on the results achieved. To be submitted 240 days after start

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.