Impacts of the climate crisis in the countryside may leave Brazilians with less beans on their plate, says research

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Crop productivity is opposed to the expectation of greater demand for the product projected for 2050. Researchers suggest investment in generating grains that are more tolerant to high temperatures among the possible solutions. Bean production in Brazil will have to grow by around 44% by 2050 NITRO/Press Release Climate change is likely to disrupt bean production in Brazil. A study indicates that, in the middle of 2050, the temperature in the plantation regions should rise up to 2.8°C. The new scenario goes against the expectation of greater demand for food in the future. Rice and bean planting area has shrunk more than 30% in 16 years Bean production will have to grow by around 44%, approximately 1.5 million tons more than what is produced today, to remain a protagonist in the meal of the Brazilian in 27 years. This increase should take place in an unfavorable environment for crops from the point of view of climate, taking into account data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) of the United Nations (UN). QUIZ: Carioca beans appeared in RJ? Test your knowledge The solution would be the development of beans that are more tolerant to high temperatures, the adoption of public policies for the expansion of new production areas and environmental conservation, according to a survey by the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) and the Escola Superior de Agriculture Luiz de Queiroz (Esalq/USP). “Cultivars that are more adapted to ‘suffer less’ in an adverse climate could bring an extra guarantee to the producer who invests heavily in results for his crop”, explains Luís Antolin, who is a researcher at Esalq/USP. 📌 Key research points 💰 Demand: Brazil will have to produce 1.5 million tons more beans in 2050; 🌡️ Heat: the temperature will rise between 1.2°C to 2.8°C, in mid-2050, in the bean production area in the country; 📍 Most affected locations: Midwest region and in the states of Minas Gerais and Bahia; 🌱 Crop damage: greenhouse gases impact the plant’s reproductive phase, causing flower abortion and non-formation of pods and grains. Therefore, the trend is for a drop in productivity, which may impact the consumer’s pocket (see details below). 👨🏽‍🌾 Crops Brazil is the only country that has three crops of beans per year, according to the Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil (CNA). The third tends to cover issues left over from the first two and stabilize prices throughout the year. According to Antolin, the uncertainty of obtaining favorable results in the harvest ends up discouraging the producer to invest in inputs, mainly in the third harvest (winter) in the areas of the Midwest region. “In these localities, other grain crops such as soybeans and corn predominate, so the producer who has the conditions and feels able will tend to choose crops with greater guarantees of selling the production at a higher price”, he says. With less supply, the tendency is for prices to rise. “Consumers will seek alternatives, thus reducing demand and the appeal for the production of third-crop beans in the long term, where we envision future scenarios of increased frequency of crop failures,” said Antolin. Records in agribusiness and rising hunger: how can this happen at the same time? 🌱 Limitations The impact of high temperatures will not be uniform across states. Because of this, the projections indicate a limitation of areas suitable for the cultivation of grains. For the national bean supply, the research estimates point to a future in which agricultural production will probably depend more on area expansion than on productivity gains from the intensification of crops. Climate change compromises the future of bean production in Brazil Sebastião Araújo/ Embrapa “The results of the survey bring issues such as the expansion of new bean production areas and investments in research to generate more adapted cultivars and improve efficiency in the field to debate. crop management”, says Alexandre Bryan Heinemann, a researcher at Embrapa. Read also: Fake green beans: learn how to identify if the bean has been dyed Average bean consumption has dropped by more than 50% in Brazil in 16 years ▶️ WATCH Where food comes from Where olive oil comes from Where does what I eat come from: Eggs

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