World Bank Reports on the Agrifood Sector in Latin America and the Caribbean

The adoption of sustainable agricultural systems in the Brazilian Amazon and Cerrado biomes is globally relevant due to the massive production of staple commodities. The report synthesizes the economic results of integrated crop-livestock-forest systems, showing that these systems improve productivity and profitability while reforesting degraded areas.

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This study evaluates how best management practices and improved dairy productivity can reduce methane emissions in Paraíba’s semi-arid region. Using IPCC 2019 methodologies and data from rural properties and cooperative business plans, it estimates that maintaining and expanding these practices could avoid about 588 tons of CH₄ over five years, cutting emissions by up to 23.3% compared to a baseline scenario.

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This chapter outlines how to foster productivity increases, protect forests through governance, develop sustainable rural livelihoods, and marshal conservation finance to simultaneously raise living standards and preserve the Amazon.

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This report explores the agrologistics challenges and opportunities faced by agri-food systems in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, with a specific focus on family farming systems. It adopts the GRID (Green, Resilient and Inclusive Development) framework to recommend investments in infrastructure, information and innovation that boost productivity, reduce waste and improve market access.

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Argentina's agri-food sector is at a turning point, ready to regain its status as a world leader and enhance its contributions to income, employment, and food security. The report identifies key areas: supporting family farming, developing a stable regulatory framework, and enhancing resilience and accelerating technological innovation.

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This report analyzes agrifood public support policies in Brazil. It explores the sector's potential and challenges to make it more inclusive, sustainable, resilient, and competitive. It calls for progressive support policies, diversification away from subsidized credit, and increasing investment in public goods over private benefits.

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The study assesses the economic impact of Bahia’s state agricultural policies on producers, consumers, and the sector by quantifying the income transfers these policies generate. Using the OECD methodology—within the broader context of global assessments by FAO, WTO, and IFPRI—it measures monetary transfers from taxpayers and consumers to agricultural producers. Focusing solely on state-level policies (excluding national ones), it estimates both the amount and the significance of these transfers within producers’ gross income.

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The study assesses the economic impact of Santa Catarina’s state agricultural policies on producers, consumers, and the sector by quantifying the income transfers these policies generate. Using the OECD methodology. The analysis estimates the amount and significance of these transfers within the producer’s gross income, facilitating comparisons over time and with other economies.

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The report applies the OECD framework to assess São Paulo’s state-level agricultural policies from 2017–2021, excluding national programs. It quantifies monetary transfers to producers and consumers, finding that overall support equals about 2.9% of the state’s agricultural GDP, with minimal direct producer support and most resources directed to public goods and consumer programs. The study concludes with recommendations to realign policies toward competitiveness, inclusion, and green resilience through innovation and targeted support.

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A strong agriculture sector and food security system can diversify the economy of Aruba and strengthen capacity to manage risks from shocks such as COVID-19. The assessment recommends a commercial-scale food business expansion alongside widespread micro-scale residential production using climate-smart techniques

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This World Bank review examines how Latin America and the Caribbean responded to the food price crises of 2008, 2011, and 2022, noting a heavy reliance on broad subsidies—especially fuel subsidies—with high fiscal costs and limited targeting. The 2022 crisis triggered a surge in policy measures, many lacking clear exit strategies. The report calls for stronger social protection systems and agri-food infrastructure to better support vulnerable populations and build long-term resilience.

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This report explores the dynamics between domestic food security in Central America and global price inflation. It analyzes the extent of pass-through of international food and fertilizer prices to domestic markets, assesses the impacts on household expenditure and income, and the effectiveness of government responses

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The report takes a context-specific approach to analyzing market structures and dynamics that may contribute to price distortions in two country-commodity pairs: white maize in El Salvador, and bananas in the Dominican Republic. It builds on prior analysis of food price transmission to recommend policy and institutional actions to improve efficiency and fairness in agrifood markets.

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Examines the new European Union Deforestation Regulation and its implications for smallholder coffee producers in Guatemala and Honduras. Assesses overlap of coffee areas with forest cover, deforestation drivers, and suggests how cooperatives and certification schemes can enable small farmers to meet legal and deforestation-free requirements.

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This visioning exercise considers alternative futures for agrifood systems in LAC. It imagines how varying levels of technology adoption, climate change, policy interventions, and demand shifts could shape sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food systems in the region.

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