Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística

About the publication - 2020 - 2nd edition

The geographical interpretation of the agricultural information produced by the IBGE, especially by the Census of Agriculture, makes this Atlas a differentiated project. It is committed to an integrated approach of the socioeconomic dynamics of the Brazilian rural area, which is not restricted to areas carrying out primary activities; rather, it concerns the territorial relations between the countryside and the city, having the environmental variable as a key element.

For the elaboration of this second edition of the Atlas, organized in 11 thematic chapters, it was essential, once again, a joint institutional effort, integrating the results from the 2017 Census of Agriculture and other surveys carried out by IBGE, such as Areas of Influence of Cities - Regic, Municipal Livestock Survey - PPM and Municipal Agricultural Production - PAM. Other data sources from the National Institute of Colonization and Agrarian Reform - Incra and the National Indian Foundation - Funai, among other institutions were also used. The present Atlas does not intend to cover all aspects and issues involved in the complex Brazilian rural reality, but the use of a wide range of variables from these diversified sources has made it possible to grasp the the history and context of the agrarian reality in contemporary Brazil, thus enhancing knowledge about the relation between agricultural activities and other economic sectors, including the role played by the cities.

Each chapter of the publication has an introductory text and is followed up by maps, graphs, tables, photos and analytical comments, which allows a broader view of the phenomena addressed. To this end, the characteristics of the producer and of the agricultural establishment are addressed, among other aspects; forms of appropriation and use of land; the relations between producers and institutions seeking access to technical assistance, financing and public policies; agricultural estrategies; and the technology adopted in a context in which intense regional and cultural inequalities coexist.

Combining tradition and innovation, this second edition of the Atlas coincides with the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Census of Agriculture, carried out for the first time in September 1920, under the responsibility of the General Directorate of Statistics - DGE, an organ of the former Ministry of Agriculture, Industry and Trade, and is also available on the Interactive Geographic Platform - PGI, on the IBGE website. On the platform, it is possible to access the volume in digital format, as well as cross-check data, according to one's interest, create other maps using the available layers, and downloading tables and projects created in various formats, among other resources.