Irrigation in Brazil has proven to be a critical element in ensuring agricultural production and food security, especially in a climate change scenario. Luiz Paulo Hempel, Director of Crop and Government Affairs at Netafim Brasil, shared data and trends that highlight the importance of irrigation and its challenges in the country.
Current irrigation panorama
According to Hempel, irrigation has played a vital role in mitigating negative climate impacts such as prolonged droughts and heat waves. Brazil is the sixth-largest irrigated area, at 8.2 million hectares, according to the ANA Irrigation Atlas. These irrigated areas are responsible for more than 40% of global food production, according to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization. However, the scenario is not uniform for all cultures. Agricultural commodity prices directly influence investment and technology decision-making in agricultural areas. Coffee and sugarcane have shown good results, with rising prices and investments in irrigation, while other crops, such as cereals, face major challenges due to low commodity prices and high production costs. In this context, irrigation becomes a viable alternative to maximize production, especially considering spot irrigation, which allows more irrigation and production in 100% of the arable area.
Coffee: an example of success
The coffee sector has emerged positively. Since last year, coffee prices have remained high, with a significant peak in 2023 and remaining attractive this year. “Arabica and Robusta coffee are in a very good position, with Robusta matching the average monthly price of Arabica coffee at times, which is unprecedented in recent years,” Hempel explained. This favorable scenario has encouraged investment in irrigation, especially in the coffee growing areas of Connellon, which are almost entirely irrigated. Furthermore, irrigation increases productivity by up to three times compared to rain-fed areas, according to data from Embrapa, which benefits the regularity and quality of production.
Sugarcane: burn effects
On the other hand, sugarcane faces challenges due to fires that affected about 80,000 hectares in the state of São Paulo alone. “These fires will affect the production and quality of sugarcane, which has been a serious concern for producers and the community. Renovating sugarcane fields and investing in technology, including irrigation, represent the potential to reduce production losses from these sugarcane fields,” Lowes noted. “As a result of the difficulties and demand , the sector has seen an increase in the value of a ton of sugarcane, which has encouraged replanting and technological improvements. According to the Irrigation Atlas, approximately 35.5% of the irrigated area in Brazil uses reused water, a common practice in sugarcane cultivation, which contributes to the sustainability of production. We already have great examples of wastewater being used in domestic drip irrigation systems.
Fruit farming: recovery and investment
Fruit cultivation, especially oranges, has shown signs of recovery, with rising prices and new investments in farming areas. This sector has benefited from irrigation, with increased production, lower costs and improved fruit quality. According to Embrapa, irrigation in fruit-growing areas can result in up to three crops per year, increasing food supply and regularity.
Challenges and opportunities
One of the main challenges mentioned by Hempel is freeing up credit for investments in irrigation. “When resources are available in financing lines, the release does not occur with the same fluency that agriculture requires, affecting the ability of producers to maintain and expand their investments,” he said. Moreover, in some areas, the necessary irrigation infrastructure is still deficient, and the process of granting the use of water resources for irrigation, which is extremely important due to regulatory needs, varies in speed between states and regions. “The granting of concessions depends largely on the region and the structure of supervisory bodies, which may affect the release of resources and frustrate implementation schedules for producers and investors,” Luiz explained. However, awareness of the need for small dams and reservoirs, which reduce environmental impacts, could promote the expansion of irrigation, which has great potential: the Irrigation Atlas predicts an increase of 4.2 million irrigated hectares by 2040, a 79% growth compared to irrigation. The area that currently uses water sources.
Future perspectives
Despite the challenges, the prospects for irrigation in Brazil are positive. Data from the Irrigation Sector Chamber indicate that irrigation continues to grow, which reflects its importance for food security, as basic crops such as grains, fruits and vegetables depend heavily on irrigation. “The modernization and thus increasing efficiency of irrigation techniques, including spot irrigation, has shown stable growth, which is a positive indicator for the sector,” Hempel said.
