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Between 1950 and 1985, the United States provided an ongoing flow of resources to support Brazilian agriculture. These were granted regardless of the orientation of the dominant political party in both countries.
This book documents the Cold War-driven aid programs, the private capital, and investment from American philanthropists that laid the foundation for economic development to soar in Brazil through to today. Earl Richard Downes explains how Brazil became a major catalyst for change with US assistance and a military government. This rich history includes conflict over land titles, displacement of farm laborers, environmental damage, as well as political and social turbulence.
The book breaks down how Brazil's military inserted itself into major components of the agricultural revolution, including mechanization, fertilization, credit, technical assistance, research, processing, and marketing. Chapters break down the global impact made through the frameworks and models used to develop Brazilian agriculture. Downes also offers insight into the nation's first agricultural research corporation, the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA).
List of contents
Chapter 1: Brazil, the Agricultural Giant.- Chapter 2: The Return of Getúlio Vargas and Agricultural Development, 1951-54.- Chapter 3: "50 Years in Five" and the Reorientation of Brazilian Agriculture.- Chapter 4: Agricultural Politics and Institutional Ferment, 1961-1964.- Chapter 5: Enhancing the Infrastructure and Human Capital, 1964-1969.- Chapter 6: Brazil Alters the Course of its Agricultural Development, 1969-1974.- Chapter 7: The State and the Rising Agricultural Superpower.- Chapter 8: The Rise of the New Model for Brazilian Agriculture, 1979-1985.
About the author
Earl Richard Downes (1947–2024) was a military officer, private-sector activist, and civilian educator. He held a Bachelor of Science in Latin American Studies from the Air Force Academy, a Master of Arts in Latin American Studies, and a PhD in Latin American History. Downes dedicated his career to improving US-Latin American relations. He served as an Associate Professor of History and Director of Area Studies at the Air Force Academy and later as an Adjunct Professor of International Relations at Florida International University. From 2006 to 2009, he was the Associate Dean of Academics at the Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies at National Defense University. Earlier in his career, he was the Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at Universal Wireless.
