1 AGRICULTURE IN BRAZIL: FROM THE 1980’s TO THE G-20

MAURO MASON DE CAMPOS ADORNO

Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements of the Degree of Master by Coursework in International Policy Studies

School of Politics Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

La Trobe University Bundoora, Victoria 3083 Australia

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July 2005 Abstract The Brazilian economy transformed from a state of financial crisis in the 1980’s to become a leading agriculture exporter in the late 1990’s. Economic reforms implemented by the Real Plan were a response to a bankrupt decade of failed economic plans and high inflation rates. In this period agriculture played a key role in the control of the inflation and in the stabilization of the economy. The domestic environment of the Brazilian economy and the role of agriculture helped Brazil to develop a more active role and led it to seek for a leadership position in the international agricultural negotiations. On the eve on the WTO’s Cancun Round of negotiation a new coalition of developing countries formed the G-20. The Group was born from a Brazilian initiative and for the first time a group of developing countries stood up against the developed countries in the agriculture negotiations.

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Acknowledgments

I would like to dedicate this thesis to my mother Ana and my brother Matheus. Who believed in me even when I did not. I love you guys.

I would like to thank my Father for the support, during the whole process, even at 4 am, William Wyle my good friend and housemate, Celina Italiano and her beautiful family, my adviser Anthony Jarvis, who was always a sea of calm and never lost hope in me and also to thank all my friends and family who through phone calls or emails were there for me.

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Abstract……………………………………………………………………………..……I.

Acknowledgments……………………………………………………………………….II.