The population of Brazil is around 215 million people.[1] The country is highly urbanised with 88% of its population living in cities[2] and only 12% in rural areas.[3] Agriculture accounts for 7% of Brazil’s GDP[4] and it is estimated that 9% of the population is employed in this sector.[5]
Since the 1970s, the number of large-scale, commercial farms has continued to increase, and smallholders are estimated to account for 20% of all farmers in Brazil. Nearly 45% of Brazil’s agricultural land is held by the largest 1% of Brazil’s farms; a reflection of the structural problem of land distribution in Brazil.[6] Farms belonging to families are characterised by low economic dynamism and a high incidence of poverty, and droughts and heatwaves caused by climate change also affect food security[7].
The top grown agricultural commodities in Brazil are sugar cane, soybeans, maize, fresh milk and cassava.[8] Brazil’s top export commodities in terms of quantity commodities are soybeans, maize, raw sugar, and soybeans cake.[9]
- ^ World Bank (2022). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?locations=BR
- ^ World Bank (2022). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS?locations=BR
- ^ World Bank (2022). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.RUR.TOTL.ZS?locations=BR
- ^ World Bank. (2022). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NV.AGR.TOTL.ZS?locations=BR
- ^ World Bank. (2022). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS?locations=BR
- ^ FAO. (2015). The economic lives of smallholder farmers. http://www.fao.org/3/a-i5251e.pdf
- ^ IFAD. Country Profiles: Brazil. https://www.ifad.org/en/web/operations/w/country/brazil
- ^ FAOSTAT. (2022). http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#rankings/commodities_by_country
- ^ FAOSTAT. (2022). http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#rankings/commodities_by_country_exports
Minimum wage
In Brazil there is a government mandated minimum wage. As of January 2024, the general minimum wage for Brazil is 1,412 Brazilian Reais (263 EUR) per month.[1]Employers who fail to comply with the national minimum wage are subject to punishment by the government, however, thus far such penalties have not been proven to be successful in ensuring employer compliance. Adittionally, media reports say that unsafe working conditions are prevalent throughout the country. [2]
Living wage
The Global Living Wage Coalition has developed 2 Living Wage Benchmarks based on the Anker methodology, one for Minas Gerais, rural Brazil and one for São Paulo State, non-metropolitan Brazil.
The Global Living Wage Coalition has estimated the living wage for Minas Gerais South/Southwestern Region of rural Brazil to be 2,621 Brazilian Reals per month (488 EUR). This number is based on a family of 4 with 1.71 workers.[3] The living wage benchmark provides context in the rural coffee growing regions of Southern Brazil. The Minas Gerais Southern and Southwestern mesoregion is the world leader in coffee production and is responsible for 24% of Brazil’s coffee production, most of which is exported.[4] Accordingly, the living wage report uses prevailing wages in the coffee sector for comparison with the estimated living wage.
Living income
- ^ WageIndicator Foundation. (2023). https://wageindicator.org/salary/minimum-wage/brazil/23075-general-minimum-wage
- ^ U.S. Department of State. (2023). https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/brazil/
- ^ Global Living Wage Coalition. (2023).https://www.globallivingwage.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Updatereport_Brazil_Southern-Minas-Gerais_July2021-Final.pdf
- ^ Global Living Wage Coalition. (2023). https://www.globallivingwage.org/living-wage-benchmarks/urban-brazil/
- ^ Global Living Wage Coalition (2023). Updated Living Wage Report-Non-Metropolitan Brazil: State of São Paulo. https://www.globallivingwage.org/living-wage-benchmarks/living-wage-for-non-metropolitan-brazil/
- ^ Global Living Wage Coalition. (2023). https://www.globallivingwage.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Living-Income-Estimates-for-Cocoa-Brazil_v3.1.pdf
- ^ Global Living Wage Coalition (2022) https://www.globallivingwage.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Living-Income-Estimates-for-Coffee-Brazil_72228.pdf
Updated Living Wage Benchmark, Non-Metropolitan Brazil 
Updated living wage estimate for the State of São Paulo, Brazil focussing on orange production in the citrus belt. Global Living Wage Coalition.
Updated Living Wage Benchmark, rural Brazil
Updated living wage estimate for Minas Gerais South/Southwestern Region of Brazil focussing on coffee production. Global Living Wage Coalition.
Living Income Benchmark, Brazilian coffee
Living income estimate for cocoa growing regions in Brazil, 2021. Global Living Wage Coalition, 2021.
Living Income Benchmark, Brazilian cocoa
Living income estimate for cocoa growing regions in Brazil, 2021. Global Living Wage Coalition, 2021.
Living Wage Benchmark, rural Brazil
Living wage estimate for Minas Gerais South/Southwestern Region of Brazil focussing on coffee production. Global Living Wage Coalition, 2019.
Living Wage Benchmark, Non-Metropolitan Brazil
Living wage estimate for the State of São Paulo, Brazil focussing on orange production in the citrus belt. Global Living Wage Coalition, 2020.
Improving Living Conditions of Coffee Farmers
Global Coffee Platform collective action initiative aims at improving working conditions, including wages, in the Brazilian coffee sector.