I had a chance to sit down with Alida Bellandi, the Director of International Marketing for the Brazilian Association of Machinery and Equipment Manufacturers (ABIMAQ) during the AG CONNECT Expo. Bellandi’s organization was here to participate in the AgriEvolution Forum, a forum that is promoting a dialogue between the associations of manufacturing around the world. The first forum was in Rome two years ago, and the second one was hosted here by the Association of Equipment Manufactures (AEM) with the goal to discuss the future of the industry.
Bellandi told me that her organization represents manufacturers that produce equipment for small to medium sized farmers. This includes equipment used for soil preparation to silos to tractors and harvesters. Brazil has been manufacturing equipment for 30 years and currently exports to more than 60 countries.
She noted that not only is Brazil diversified in its production of machinery, but its agricultural industry is also diversified. Brazil grows tobacco, coffee, cotton, soybeans, tropical fruits, vegetables, beans, rice and sugarcane. “Brazil is a very agricultural powerful nation,” said Bellandi.
Since AG CONNECT Expo was an international show, I asked Bellandi about Brazil’s efforts in helping other countries with their efforts. She told me that Brazil has developed a direct planting technology that is something other Latin American countries are very interested as are many countries in Africa. She also noted that while sustainability is a very important aspect for the ag industry in Brazil, it is not yet important in developing countries.
“What you have to understand is the stage they are in right now. They have to feed their people and they have practically nothing in many countries. So environmental issues are not very important for them. We’re trying to show them they could start thinking about it a little bit differently. But in Latin America, we’re beginning to influence them,” Bellandi.
To get people thinking about environmental issues, ABIMAQ has produced a free video called “The Earth hanging by a drop,” that demonstrates how ecosystems are affected by global warming. To receive a free copy of this video and to learn more about the organization, visit ABIMAQ’s website.
Listen to my full interview with Alida here.