Caracterização e desenvolvimento de indicadores de sustentabilidade para os sistemas de produção de cana-de-açúcar na região Centro-Sul do Brasil

Abstract

Brazil is the largest producer of sugarcane in the world, and the most productive region of the country in the Center-South. The planted area is approximately 9 million hectares and growing demand for ethanol in recent years, mainly for export, contributed to new expansion areas. In order to increase productivity in those areas, new technologies have been incorporated into the stages of planning, planting and harvesting. In contrast, importing countries have established social and environmental sustainability criteria aimed at ensuring that fuel produced in handheld operating conditions of work and harmful to the environment were introduced in their markets. Thus, the aim of this study was to characterize the most representative of sugarcane production systems of Center- South region of the country, while the specific objectives were to identify the agronomic, environmental and social characteristics of this system, formulate indicators from literature and validate with experts so that they could assist and direct the establishment of sustainability in the production of the raw material of ethanol. The methodology consists in: 1. Survey of relevant information to different sugarcane production systems in Center-South; 2. Validation of the information with the help of academic experts; 3. Formulation the indicators from the literature and; 4. Validate of the indicators with the help of academics and industry experts. The results were to characterize systems low, medium, high and very high adhesion to technology and have been validated 53 indicators that can assist in judging the sustainability of sugarcane production systems in major producer Brazil.