Arabfields, Naïla Mokhtari, Correspondent, São Paulo, Brasil —  Brazil is expanding its agricultural cooperation with African countries through a model that places technical exchange, local capacity building and food security at the centre of its engagement with the continent.

The approach, promoted by the Brazilian Cooperation Agency, or ABC, is designed to respond to the specific needs of African partners rather than offer ready-made agricultural solutions, according to Nelci Caixeta, the agency’s coordinator for technical cooperation with Africa, Asia and Oceania.

Brazil’s strategy comes as competition for influence in African agriculture intensifies. China, European countries, the United States and Gulf states are all increasing investments and partnerships across a continent where population growth and rising food demand are creating major opportunities for agricultural development.

Brazil, one of the world’s agricultural powers, believes its own transformation offers experience that can be adapted to African conditions. Over several decades, the country moved from being a significant food importer to becoming one of the world’s leading producers and exporters of agricultural commodities.

The emphasis, however, is on adaptation rather than replication.

In countries such as Mozambique, cooperation has focused on improving access to quality seeds for crops including maize, rice, beans and soybeans. In Guinea and Benin, livestock development and small ruminant production have emerged as important areas of interest.

The philosophy is particularly significant for farmers working far from major cities, where access to improved seeds, veterinary services, agricultural training and financing often remains limited.

For a small farmer, a new technology only becomes useful when it can work under local conditions and generate a measurable improvement in income or food production. Brazilian officials say this is why technical cooperation must involve local institutions, researchers, extension workers and producers from the beginning.

Brazil has strengthened its engagement with Africa considerably in recent years. Since 2023, Brazilian agricultural authorities have signed at least 18 bilateral cooperation instruments with African countries, covering areas including food security, rural development, tropical agriculture and animal health.

The commercial relationship is also expanding. African countries imported more than $12 billion worth of Brazilian agricultural products in 2025, an increase of about 30% compared with 2022.

Brazilian officials insist, however, that technical cooperation is not formally tied to commercial conditions. The objective is to share knowledge and strengthen local production systems, even as stronger relationships can naturally create new trade opportunities.

That distinction is becoming increasingly important as African governments seek partnerships that can help improve domestic food production rather than deepen dependence on imported products.

Brazil’s model relies heavily on cooperation between public institutions. Research organisations, universities and technical agencies work with African counterparts to develop projects based on local priorities.

The Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, Embrapa, has become one of the country’s most important sources of expertise in this process. Its experience in tropical agriculture is considered particularly relevant for African countries facing similar climatic and environmental challenges.

The human dimension of the partnership is visible in training programmes, technical visits and demonstration farms. Instead of simply delivering equipment, projects aim to show farmers and agricultural specialists how technologies work in practice.

This approach can be especially important in livestock production.

Several African countries have expressed interest in importing high-performing Brazilian cattle breeds to improve milk and meat production. But Brazilian officials warn that importing animals alone cannot solve deeper problems in the livestock sector.

A productive breed requires adequate feed, veterinary services, suitable infrastructure and trained technicians. Without these conditions, expensive imported animals can fail to adapt and investments can be lost.

For many farmers, improving the productivity of locally adapted animals may therefore offer a more realistic path. Better feeding, animal health and farm management could significantly increase milk production without requiring costly imports.

The same principle applies to crop production. When countries import Brazilian seeds to address immediate shortages, the longer-term objective should also be to develop local capacity to produce quality seeds.

This could become one of the defining features of Brazil’s future agricultural engagement with Africa, combining short-term support with efforts to strengthen national agricultural systems.

The cotton sector provides another example of this strategy. Although Brazil and several African countries compete in international markets, Brazilian officials argue that cooperation can still benefit both sides.

The growing use of synthetic fibres represents a broader challenge for cotton producers worldwide. Brazil and African producers could therefore have common interests in improving productivity, strengthening value chains and promoting demand for natural fibres.

Looking ahead, agricultural cooperation between Brazil and Africa is likely to become more closely connected to food security, climate adaptation and rural employment.

Brazil has already committed new resources to scientific and technical cooperation with African partners in 2026, including programmes aimed at agricultural productivity, food security and training for researchers, technicians and farmers.

The challenge will be ensuring that these initiatives continue beyond their initial funding cycles. Budget constraints have affected international cooperation programmes, increasing pressure on governments to develop co-financing arrangements with African institutions and international organisations.

Partnerships involving governments, development banks and multilateral institutions could therefore play a larger role in the coming years.

If successful, the Brazilian approach could help African countries build stronger agricultural value chains while creating deeper economic and scientific ties across the South Atlantic.

For farmers, researchers and rural communities, the real measure of success will be less about diplomatic agreements and more about practical results, higher yields, healthier livestock, stronger local businesses and greater food security.

Brazil’s message is increasingly clear: Africa’s agricultural transformation cannot be imported as a finished model. It will have to be built locally, with international partnerships providing knowledge and support rather than replacing domestic capacity.