INDIRECT LAND USE CHANGE AND TRANSLOCAL DEVELOPMENT DRIVEN BY SUGARCANE EXPANSION IN GOIÁS, BRAZIL Relocation and expansion of soybean production by soybean producers from the municipality Jataí (Goiás, Brazil)

Abstract

The global demand for alternative fuels stimulated the expansion of sugarcane for the production of ethanol in Brazil. In 2007, this expansion occurred in the municipality Jataí, located in the state Goiás. This region mainly depends on grain cultivation and is located in the Cerrado biome, worlds’ richest savanna ecosystem. Recent sugarcane expansion would not put pressure on vulnerable ecosystems as it would expand on degraded pasture land. However the sustainability of ethanol production is questioned as it could indirectly put pressure on natural vegetation by pushing soybean production and cattle ranching into the Amazon. By using the concepts of ‘translocal development’ and ‘telecoupling’ indirect land use change by sugarcane was analysed. Secondary data on land use and semi-structured interviews with soybean producers from Jataí are used to determine whether sugarcane expansion motivated them to relocate or expand production elsewhere and to identify their relocation and expansion regions. The main motives for soybean producers to relocate and expand production are related to the sugarcane expansion. These are the inflation of the ‘lease price’ of land and losing or the risk of losing a lease for land. The majority of soybean producers that lost land to sugarcane, relocated and expanded production elsewhere. There appears to be a preference to relocate and expand soybean production within the region. A multi-sited research approach reveals that soybean producers can be considered as agents for ‘translocal development’ from the perspective of cattle ranchers, as they recover the fertility of degraded pasture land, inspire cattle ranchers to also start soybean production and import agricultural expertise and even might contribute to an increase of productivity of cattle ranching which would limit pressure on natural vegetation. For follow-up studies on indirect land use change, this research recommends to scale down from the national to the regional level, with specific attention to the Cerrado biome. It is also important to consider the distinct impact of sugarcane expansion on landowners and land tenants. In addition it is recommended to conduct further research on the alleged positive influence of soybean expansion on the productivity of cattle ranching.