2025/07/01 by Clever Lucas Aguilar, Osmar Abílio de Carvalho Júnior, Osmar Luiz Ferreira de Carvalho · 1 voice
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Environmental Science · #Agricultural Innovations and Practices #Organic Food and Agriculture #Rural Development and Agriculture
paper · pdf · doi:10.1002/geo2.70015
openalex publication_date 2025/07/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
Abstract Brazil is one of the world's largest consumers and exporters of common beans ( Phaseolus vulgaris L . ), with production occurring year‐round across three distinct harvests in different regions. Considering the high degree of impact beans have on the Brazilian domestic economy and global supply, this study aims to map consolidated bean planting areas and analyse their spatiotemporal evolution from 2011 to 2022. The research comprised four steps: (a) data acquisition on harvested area and quantity produced (2011–2022), (b) identification of agricultural belts using spatiotemporal analysis (Moran's indices and relative frequency), (c) evaluation of production trends (growth and acceleration rates for the three harvest types) and (d) environmental characterisation, considering climate, soil, vegetation and topography. The spatiotemporal analysis identified four primary bean‐producing belts: South, Central Brazil, Mato Grosso and Northeast. The Northeast Belt has extensive planted areas but low productivity, dominating family farming and highly vulnerable to climate. The South Bean Belt is Brazil's main producing area, marked by consolidated production with significant contributions from smallholder cooperatives. The Central Brazil and Mato Grosso Bean Belts benefit from agribusiness. The first harvest is widespread and mainly rainfed, whereas the second and third harvests depend more on irrigation, occurring mainly in Central Brazil and the Mato Grosso Bean Belt. Environmental conditions shape productivity, with cold stress affecting the South, water availability and flat terrain favour irrigation and mechanisation in Central Brazil and Mato Grosso Bean Belts, and water scarcity limiting yields in the Northeast Bean Belt. The productive complementarity resulting from regional diversity and the three types of harvest throughout the year guarantee continuous supply and food security. The delimitation and characterisation of bean belts provide a basis for territorial planning strategies and agricultural policies.