Growing Brazil needs to incorporate more detailed planning

Brazil is on an upward journey. It has been placed better than various strong economies in the world. The uprising development in major parts of Brazil has created millions of job opportunities for the citizens. Development and growth have never walked so much in sync in Brazil. But this must shift our focus to a few decades from now when the population will increase, there would be more number of people living in metropolitans and the demand for developed infrastructure would be at an all time high.

Jose Sergio de Oliveira Machado, the former President of Transpetro remarks that the biggest challenge would be to develop cities which would accommodate a large number of people. Along with that, there would be a need to develop a robust transport system and appropriate routes and roads. There needs to be better planned and bigger roads to facilitate for a smooth flow of traffic. The amount of number of vehicles being registered is huge and the so are the spikes in these statistics. So, Sergio Machado opines that it is wide to plan extensively in advance. He further says that these problems are not the ones that could be dealt with mere improvisation and immediate reactions.

The traffic, which is already a problem in some cities, tends to become worse, causing damage to the environment, the welfare of the residents and the economy. A study by Citigroup, for example, an estimated 5% loss of productivity of the Brazilian economy because of traffic jams.

These problems are basic impedances to the development spree. Therefore, it is wise to account for such changes in the long run and then plan accordingly. In a country like Brazil, it is necessary to get the base correct. The foundation of such development and planning has to be precise and yet flexible.

It isn’t a bad idea at all to rope in the best brains of the world. Let us learn from the mistakes other countries have made and not repeat them. It is good to learn from mistakes but even better to learn from somebody else’s mistakes. 

Sergio Machado emphasizes on better training of the human resource in Brazil

The world is at a crossroads again. The prevalent global situations have paved in a way for countries like Brazil to carve a niche for themselves. The first world countries are in a fix with regards to the availability of fuel and energy and their dependence on countries like Brazil has increased more than ever. Jose Sergio de Oliveira Machado, former President of Transpetro, says that as of now, on the global front, Brazil is placed better than most of the European Nations which had come together to form The European Union.

From oil to ethanol and bio fuel, Brazil has abundance of all the energy forms that the world currently depends upon. So now that we know there is a wide array of opportunities open, Brazil must prepare itself intrinsically in order to be able to make the most of the scenario.

SergioMachado elaborates that Brazil does not have any shortage of labour, but what it really is short of is the presence of ‘skilled labour’. This brings our focus to the major issue of creating more job opportunities for people and employing them. But to address this problem, the preliminary layers need to be strong enough. There is a dire need to educate people and train them in particular crafts and expertise. This trained human resource will make Brazil ready for the impending upward journey it is bound to undertake.

Brazil needs to make its people acquainted with latest and popular technologies for the world is being governed by the advancements in the technological sector. The manifestations of technology in the lives of people has been far more elaborate and deeply ingrained. There is no dearth of examples of countries which have escalated to a whole new level by embracing and imbibing technology in their basic functionalities. The so-called Asian Tigers are the perfect examples to substantiate the argument. Countries like Japan, China and South Korea have been leading the bandwagon of technological innovations and they have achieved productivity and international competitiveness.

Increased migration to Northeast Brazil indicative of a new dawn, remarks Sergio Machado

Famous Brazilian poets including Patativa do Assaré have, for long, in their poems, lamented for having left Northeast Brazil and migrate to South. Their constant desire to go back to their native land has been clearly expressed in their works. And perhaps this has led to a focus shift among people. There has been an increase in the number of people who are migrating to Northeast from Southern regions. This has majorly been spiked because of the growing development in the ‘long neglected’ region, says Jose Sergio de OliveiraMachado.   

As per recent figures collected by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), there has been a decrease in the migration of people from North to South but on the contrary, the case has been reverse. The Northeast has the highest return of migrants. As per Sergio Machado, these stats indicate that there is a new emerging Brazil; a Brazil which has less of disparity and more of unity.

The Northeast and other regions are being provided with new development plans which will facilitate employment and income, thus, changing the lives of millions of Brazilians.

This transformation has been possible owing to the political decisions taken by the Lula Government, for which, development of this region was a major concern. The government decided to expedite the development and take it to a whole new level of extensiveness. Petrobras, for example, is investing in structural programs in the Northeast. This is being looked at as Petrobras’ contribution towards development of the Northern region and helps improve the economic stance of Brazil. The wider emphasis is on making the Northeast self sustainable. In this wake, a keen focus is being laid on developing the education system and strengthening the employment options.

The financial and infrastructural development needs to be in sync with the social development of the people, says Sergio Machado.

Northeast Brazil needs to focus on creating better brains

Past few years have seen Northeast Brazil being devoid of the importance it deserved on the national front. The development it should have received as per the policy projections made by several political parties has been stalled for a really long time. The needs of Northeast Brazil have lain subdued under the conflicting interests of various other states, each wanting its own share of budget and greater share of benefits. But an anticipated importance in the international market and political stability have led to a streak of development in Northeast, which is indicative of the bright prospects the future of the region holds, says Sergio Machado.

There was once a time when Brazil was politically strong and all the regions were aligned towards a common benefit the country but as the political instability grew, this virtue of unity diluted in to a thin idea which held less value. This is the time when President Lula allocated the largest amount of infrastructure projects and investments for the Northeast area. Since a couple of years, development in the area has been the centre of focus. But what the region really needs is sustainable development, remarks Sergio Machado, former president of Transpetro.

He elaborates that Northeast needs to focus diligently on improving its education system in order to create better brains that would further the development. Research centers should be more in number so that the region and its people stay abreast with the latest technology. Sergio Machado also remarks that the prevalent time is one of the best times of Brazil for it is reaching a level where it will be a supplier of various products and services at a global belvedere. It will supply oil, foods and other products. This would create a number of job opportunities for the people. The fact that Brazil is closer to Northern Hemisphere than the southern one should be used to the advantage of the country.

The Northern Brazil does not need cynics and critiques but those who are willing to take an initiative and be an active part of the global shift that is impending.

Development in Northeast indicates towards a stronger Brazil

Data from a recent survey of the Getúlio Vargas Foundation has revealed that the income inequality in Brazil has reduced drastically, indicating towards a significant reduction in the disparity. Crediting this change are initiatives such as social programs and economic growth.

The survey also recorded the greatest increase ever in the incomes of the poorest strata. Along with better education, significant investment in infrastructure and setting up of major industrial projects as a part of the Growth Acceleration Program (PAC) has contributed largely to reduce the income disparity. Sergio Machado says that PAC has led to a paradigm shift in the country by altering the way problems are approached.

In fact, the PAC has changed the growth paradigm of the country by allocating 25% of its investment to the Northeast in its very first phase. Inducing a development of this magnitude definitely expedited growth by multiple folds. Northeast has today on highly skilled labor other regions of the country.

Sergio Machado says that Northeast Brazil still needs a little more focus when it comes to development. He says that there is a need to ensure that the Northeast grows in an integrated way so that a local supply chain can be created. This will help in creating income and wealth for the region.

This can be only done when we get rid of the old practices that have proven to be futile and harmful. The authorities need to incorporate a broader view point instead of focusing on isolated industries. There also needs a better focus on improving the quality of higher education along with creation of more job opportunities for the people. The quality of education provided should match up to that of international standards and include a competitive edge.

Sergio Machado also remarks that Brazil should work its proximity to Europe and the UK to its advantage. These regions offer a plethora of opportunities. So, the government needs to bring in a a few policies that strengthens our business relations with our neighboring countries.

Brazil can emerge as the best alternate solution to the ‘oil Curse’, says Sergio Machado

The increased insurgence along with political instability in the Middle East and overtaking of various oil fields by the terrorist group ISIS has brought back old fears to life. There is an impending oil crisis that lies ahead of the world and could stem many global issues. History has been a witness to the infamous ‘oil curse’ ; concentration of power and income, extreme riches, impending attacks and massacres, overthrown of legacies, all because of presence of oil in a country or region. And now with ISIS planning to take control of various oil fields, there has been a keen focus shift of powerful economies towards alternative fuel options. This, is an opportunity where Brazil can emerge on the top, says Sergio Machado.

The world is looking for reliable oil suppliers; the countries which not only have oil in abundance but also have political stability and good prospects for development. Brazil is one of those few countries which fit all the parameters.

Perhaps that is why American President Barack Obama, in his recent visit to the country, touted Brazil as one of the future reliable oil suppliers to the US market.

Sergio Machado, former President of Transpetro said, “With the pre-salt, Brazil will have the world's fifth largest oil reserve. More than that, our democracy is consolidated and our economy grows with social justice, all of which represent a huge comparative advantage. This will definitely improve investor confidence and would attract future international buyers.”

Sergio Machado also remarks present Brazil as the ‘century Brazil’. He adds, “We have practically all the riches that the world needs. We are an energy powerhouse. In addition to the fossil energy, we have a broad potential array of fuels; oil, hydro, wind and solar.  We have a diverse energy mix, clean and almost 50% renewable energy.”

Brazilian economy is looking more than favorable as of now. There is a presence of large amount of land to produce food and that is why powerful economies like China and India are dependent on Brazil for imports. Brazil also holds huge potential for production of cleaner fuels like Ethanol and Biofuel.

Brazil will surprise the world with its latent potential, says Sergio Machado

Brazil is touted to emerge as one of the stronger economies of the world in next few years. This has put the country in a very powerful position at the global belvedere. The fact that Petrobras has emerged as the second most profitable company in America is an evidence enough to support the statement.

This isn’t something which Brazil is experiencing for the first time. There was a time when Brazil was among the most successful economies in the world. But due to some external circumstances and unfortunate upheavals, there was a lull in the economy. But the turnaround has already begun, says Sergio Machado, ex-President of Transpetro.

American President Obama’s recent visit to Brazil and Dilma Rousseff’s visit to China is a clear indication that Brazil is looking towards an array of prospects and the country must be prepared to make the most of these opportunities.

Brazil, due to its diversified set of advantages seems to be a better prospect than big economies like China and Russia at various levels. It is the country with largest arable land and will soon become a major supplier of oil and ethanol.

A major reason for such great prospects of Brazil is because of political stability and its glorious history. Sergio Machado draws an analogy between the good times that are to follow and the ones that existed. He remarks that both the times, there was a coming together of various intelligent minds and visionaries who, wither their esteemed leadership, would take Brazil towards unparalleled success.

Machado is extremely hopeful that the coming generation of youngsters would take care of the situations in the best way possible and bring more laurels to the country. The success, he says, is to be taken.