While biodiesel feedstock diversification is a main objective of the Brazilian National Program for the Production and Use of Biodiesel (PNPB in Portuguese), its achievement has remained elusive and biodiesel is predominantly produced from soybean (75%). This research uses the Policy Analysis Matrix (PAM) approach to evaluate the PNPB effects and compare the economic efficiency and the competitiveness of biodiesel from three oilseeds: soybean, rapeseed and sunflower. In contrast to papers that present results of experimental biodiesel production initiatives, this paper explores the case of "representative" production chains (best available technology and management practices). The findings indicate that biodiesel production is competitive from the three oilseeds, but the profitability of biodiesel from the soybean is notably higher. The tax breaks and subsidies provided by the PNPB have a positive impact on the profitability of biodiesel production chains (7.43% for soybean, 3.88% for rapeseed, 5.53% for sunflower). These results are encouraging and suggest two actions: i) to review the incentive policies (tax reduction) and payments to farmers of the different crops (pay for oil content instead of crop yield); and ii) to invest in organizational and managerial approaches in the alternative oilseed agricultural systems to improve their technical and economic efficiency.

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Rice is the basis of diet for almost half of the world population, and its culture is one of the strategic agroindustrial production chains in the agribusiness environment, in both economic and social levels. Thus, the comparative analysis between the production chains of rice milled in Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil, and Uruguay was mainly motivated by the interest in knowing the differences in the business environment and public policies that impact the competitiveness of this chain in both study regions. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the economic efficiency, competitiveness, and effects of public policies of the rice production chain of milled rice in RS (Brazil) relative to Uruguay. The data collected in this study are from the 2011-2012 harvests and indicators were calculated by applying the concepts of the policy analysis matrix (PAM). Results showed that the chains in both study regions were competitive under the existing market and policy conditions, revealed comparative advantage, transferred a high load of resources to other sectors of the economy, and satisfactorily remuneration of the domestic production factors. However, the competitiveness and comparative advantage shown in this study were not due to the encouraging intervention policies, as both production systems pay high taxes.

As crises sócio ecológicas globais enfrentadas pela sociedade contemporânea requerem o desenvolvimento de inovações ambientais pautadas na sustentabilidade, denominadas nesse estudo, como ecoinovações. No contexto agrícola/agronegocial tal necessidade torna-se ainda mais evidente, haja vista sua relação direta entre impactos agro ecossistêmicos e mecanismos de mercado. Com vistas à essa conjuntura, a pesquisa realizada teve como objetivo analisar as diferentes abordagens da ecoinovação no contexto agrícola/agronegocial, existentes na literatura. Para tanto, realizou-se uma revisão sistemática da literatura a partir de artigos científicos de alto impacto publicados nas bases de dados Scopus e Web of Science. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram uma evolução temporal das publicações, predominantemente nos últimos três anos, associada à uma evolução conceitual do fenômeno estudado. As abordagens de ecoinovação foram divididas em quatro grupos: ecoinovação em produtos e processos; difusão da ecoinovação; avaliação do ciclo de vida, e; sistemas de ecoinovação. Assim, sintetizam-se os esforços científicos em prol do entendimento e viabilização desse fenômeno e suas distintas interfaces. Como tendências e desafios para a ecoinovação no contexto analisado, tem-se principalmente a multidisciplinariedade dessa temática, o que dificulta estabelecer estratégias para seu desenvolvimento. Todavia, apresenta-se um conjunto de potencialidades que envolvem inovação ambiental no agronegócio, apresentando possíveis diretrizes para o desenvolvimento sustentável das atividades agrícolas.

The economic sustainability of agro-industrial systems expresses firms’ competitive capacity and can be achieved with greater innovation, productivity and price management. The emerging olive oil agro-industrial systems in Brazil lack the information on economic and financial performance that they need to grow. The objective of this study is to evaluate the financial viability of an olive grove and the competitiveness and economic sustainability of the extra virgin olive oil using primary data collected and analyzed by the policy analysis matrix method. The main indicators considered with respect to current production and commercialization techniques are private and social profitability, added value, remuneration of domestic factors and total factor productivity. It is concluded that the emerging extra virgin olive oil agro-industrial system in Brazil has financially viable olive groves, significant competitiveness and presents economic sustainability.