A atuação internacional da Embrapa: um estudo da capacidade de realização de cooperação técnica no continente africano

Abstract

This present work, "The International Role of Embrapa: A Study of Its Capacity for Technical Cooperation in the African Continent", aims to analyze the context of Embrapa's international operations and cooperation through an extensive literature review and in-depth research. Technical cooperation is understood as an important tool of Brazilian foreign policy, focused on the development of other countries, especially developing ones, with an emphasis on areas such as agriculture. Brazil has strengthened its international presence through this cooperation, particularly through the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), established in 1973 with the goal of modernizing Brazilian agriculture and advancing research and innovation in the sector. Globally recognized, Embrapa has also played a significant role in African countries like Mozambique and Angola through its technical capacity-building and technology transfer initiatives. The study proposes to analyze Embrapa's trajectory, from its founding to its transformations over the years, including its restructuring to address family farming and food security issues. The main focus is to evaluate its international technical cooperation, particularly with African countries, considering the current political context and the challenges in expanding its operations on the continent. The research adopts a case study methodology, based on internal data, technical documents, and bibliographic review, aiming to investigate whether Embrapa has the technical capacity to offer assistance and cooperation in the African context and what political and structural factors may influence its activities. The paper concludes that, although Embrapa possesses the technical capacity to develop this cooperation, structural and political challenges could limit its scope, requiring a deeper analysis of the political-economic context and agricultural policies in African countries.