Drop in exports in South America

5.3% was the estimated drop in South America's exports in 2023, after a 16.4% growth in 2022, with the exception of Brazil and Paraguay (IDB, 2024).

Las exportaciones cayeron 5,3% en 2023 según la estimación para Sudamérica, tras haber crecido 16,4% en 2022. Casi todas las economías de la subregión registraron contracciones en sus ventas externas, excepto Brasil y Paraguay (BID, 2024)

BID, 2024. Estimaciones de las tendencias comerciales. América Latina y el Caribe. Edición 2024

South America: Cost increases

85% of respondents in South America increased their prices by 13%, but 70% did not compensate for rising costs, and 44% sell at a loss or break even.

Global Coalition of Fresh Produce: Survey into costs and prices for fresh produce operators

Rainfed agriculture

From 12 to 0 meters, the depth of groundwater in South America decreased due to the expansion of rain-fed agriculture.

La expansión de la agricultura de secano disminuyó la profundidad del agua subterránea desde estados profundos (de 12 a 6 metros) a estados poco profundos (de 4 a 0 metros) en Suramerica

Houspanossian, J., Giménez, R., Whitworth-Hulse, J., Nosetto, M., Tych, W., Atkinson, P., Rufino, M. y Jobbágy, E. (2021). La expansión agrícola eleva las aguas subterráneas y aumenta las inundaciones en las llanuras sudamericanas. Science Advances, 7 (22), eabf2939. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abf2939

Evidence detail

FAO, 2021

FAO.2021, ‘World food and agriculture – statistical yearbook 2021.’ (FAO: Rome, Italy) doi:10.4060/cb4477en

Southern Cone: Agricultural units

83.9% of the farms in the Southern Cone are family farms, with 5,154,533 units and an average area of 47.02 ha.

FAO (2014)

FAO (2014). Agricultura Familiar en América Latina y el Caribe: Recomendaciones de Política.

How can climate policy benefit from comprehensive

The article discusses how climate policies can benefit from land use approaches that integrate forest conservation and sustainable agriculture. Using a model applied to a hypothetical farm in South America, the authors assess the ecological and economic viability of the “compartment approach” (CAP), which proposes a mix of small plots of diverse crops, reforestation of abandoned lands and conservation of primary forests. They conclude that, with the right incentives, this approach improves long-term economic performance and can contribute to greenhouse gas mitigation without compromising food security.

Technische Universität München

Ecological Society of America (ESA)