While most agricultural regions in the world depend on a single annual harvest, Brazil benefits from its tropical and subtropical climate to harvest two—and in some areas even three—crops per year on the same plot of land. This advantage results in a constant supply of grains and food, softening the impacts of market fluctuations and ensuring availability during off-seasons. To maintain the health of the agricultural ecosystem, the national farmers follow clear rules. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply (MAPA), the same crop is never planted twice in a row on the same plot of land to fight pests and preserve soil health.
Double Crops and Crop Rotation
Behind this productive capacity is crop rotation, such as alternating soybean with corn, and the use of technologies including no-till farming and precision agriculture. These practices protect soil fertility, reduce the need for chemical inputs, and increase productivity per hectare. The result is a virtuous cycle with more significant production on smaller plots, without compromising product quality or soil health.
The Mosaic of Brazilian Biomes
With 8.5 million square kilometers, Brazil is home to six different biomes: the Amazon, Cerrado, Caatinga, Atlantic Forest, Pantanal, and Pampa. Each has its own soil, climate, and productive potential. This diversity demands specific management approaches and allows the country to diversify its agricultural output. Examples include growing açaí and Brazil nuts in the Amazon, irrigated fruit farming in the semi-arid Caatinga, no-till farming and crop-livestock integration in the Cerrado, and cool-climate vegetables in the Atlantic Forest.
South and Midwest: A Highlight in Productive Diversity
Brazil’s two largest producing regions show how agriculture may adapt to different local factors. In the South, including Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, and Paraná states, small- and medium-sized family farms, many organized into cooperatives, combine livestock and crops in rotation systems. Although soybeans and corn are the predominant and most widely harvested crops, the rolling terrain and milder climate also favor wheat, rice, tobacco, vegetables, and dairy production. These practices help maintain healthy pastures in the Pampa grasslands and well-managed agricultural areas along the edges of the Atlantic Forest.
In the Midwest, where the Cerrado, Pantanal, and transition zones with the Amazon are located, large soybean, corn, and cotton farms predominate. Flat land and integrated logistics enable two productive cycles per year on many farms. In this context, the Crop-Livestock-Forest Integration (ILPF) system is particularly noteworthy. It combines grain cultivation, cattle raising, and forested strips within the same productive area. Such actions seek to achieve a balance between high productivity and the conservation of soil and biodiversity.