Brazil's growing involvement in African agriculture

The Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) set up an office in Accra, Ghana in December 2006 to coordinate Brazil's agricultural collaboration with African countries. The coordinator of Embrapa Africa, Cláudio Bragantini, said the office in Ghana works as an agent to facilitate the link between financial organizations and governments. "We also have our doors open to private companies in agribusiness," he said.

In February Bragantini, visited Hasan II Academy, a university in Morocco that has an agricultural research institute. Being explored is a partnership in the production of bio diesel, which may be obtained from Castor bean and palm, plants of the region that can grow with little rain. According to Bragantini, ""The Moroccans are very interested in being trained in the area of biotechnology and the development of agricultural projects with the private sector."

Libya has expressed interest in a partnership in the area of irrigation. "Libya finances many projects in the agricultural area in Ghana and in other countries in the region," said Bragantini. A project being discussed is to pipe large volumes of water discovered when drilling for oil and use it for irrigated agriculture. "The Libyan government has great interest in the project and the financial means, and Embrapa has the necessary technology," he said.

Bragantini said the greatest demand from governments is related to small farmers. "We have technology developed in the semi-arid regions of Brazil that may adapt well to the climate and soil in Africa." Also of particular interest to agriculturalists in Africa are direct planting and minimum tillage projects that promote integration between crops and livestock farming. "In savannas a large part of the soil is degraded and needs recovery."

So far the Embrapa researchers based in the Ghana office have visited Angola, Kenya, Benin, Togo and Mozambique. Angola, for example, is particularly interested in developing commercial agriculture, such as the cultivation of soybean for bio fuel extraction. "All countries are seeking the development of bio energy technology," noted Bragantini.

Mozambique wants to strengthen the Institute for Agrarian Research of Mozambique (Iiam). "We have a project in progress that begun prior to the set up of the office in Ghana, which includes improvement of Iiam research processes," said .

There is also great demand for technologies for the processing of cassava, an important food crop in many African countries. Embrapa has trained technicians in Ghana in this area.