Africa seeks Brazilian livestock technology to expand agricultural production

The search for food security has led African countries to intensify the search for technology developed by Brazilian livestock farming. More than acquiring animals or genetic material, governments and producers on the continent have been looking to Brazil for complete solutions to increase meat and milk production in regions with a tropical climate, a movement that has boosted exports of zebu genetics and expanded the presence of Brazilian companies in Africa.

The growing importance of this market already appears in foreign trade figures. In 2025, Brazil exported more than US$392 million in live cattle and bovine genetic material to African countries, highlighting the strengthening of trade relations between the continent and Brazilian agribusiness.

The scenario accompanies a positive moment for the bovine genetics sector. According to the president of ASBIA (Brazilian Association of Artificial Insemination), Luis Adriano Teixeira, 2025 was a very favorable year for the activity, marked by significant growth both in the entry of doses of semen into the market and in the volume of commercialization.

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Within this context, Africa has consolidated itself as one of the main bets for the expansion of Brazilian bovine genetics. According to Bento Mineiro, founding partner of Zebuembryo, the continent already accounts for around 40% of the company's embryo exports and the share is expected to increase in the coming years.

"Africa is our next frontier. We have a continent that is still completely unexplored, with low adoption of technology, but with gigantic potential from the point of view of demand for food security and food production", he states.

According to the businessman, African interest goes far beyond purchasing genetics. The countries seek to understand and implement the tropical production model developed by Brazil over the last few decades, currently considered a global reference for regions with similar climatic characteristics.

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"Brazilian tropical agriculture is successful on all fronts and, in the case of livestock, the zebu is the protagonist. They come to look not only for the final product, but how to set up an entire production chain", he highlights.

According to Bento, the Brazilian technological package encompasses zebu genetics, adapted pastures, animal health, management systems, equipment and other solutions aimed at the efficient production of meat and milk in tropical and subtropical environments.

"It is increasingly evident that Brazilian tropical agriculture is the most appropriate solution to these realities", he says.

The growing interest can also be seen in the increase in international missions to Brazil. According to Bento, ABCZ (Brazilian Association of Zebu Breeders) has received almost monthly African delegations made up of Agriculture ministers, government representatives, researchers and businesspeople interested in learning about the technology developed in the country.

In the last edition of Expozebu, held in Uberaba (MG), more than 700 foreigners from more than 40 countries participated in the event. A significant portion of visitors came from African countries.

"They are seeking to be more efficient and strengthen their local production. There is a growing demand for food security and the ability to produce more protein within their own countries", he says.

For the Zebuembryo businessman, governments' concern with local food production gained strength after events that exposed vulnerabilities in global supply chains.

"The pandemic showed a certain fragility in global trade relations. Then came the war in Ukraine and other international conflicts. This further aroused countries' concerns about ensuring food security", he explains.

According to him, although food self-sufficiency has always been an objective for many countries, the issue has come to occupy an even more strategic position in recent years.

"This issue is increasingly becoming a priority for governments.

They want to produce more locally and guarantee the supply of their populations", he notes.

Investments

The advancement of business on the African continent has driven investments in Zebuembryo's structure. The company is expanding both the capacity of the embryo production laboratory and the areas intended for quarantine and preparation of animals for export.

Currently, the company produces around 22 thousand embryos per year. The expectation is to reach approximately 30 thousand embryos in the next production cycle and, subsequently, reach capacity for up to 60 thousand embryos annually.

"We are expanding our structures because we see a great possibility for growth. Our expectation is to grow between 30% and 40% in the coming years", says Bento.

The expansion will be carried out at the Uberaba (MG) unit, one of the main global hubs for zebu genetics. The company also intends to double its donor capacity, increasing from the current 300 to 600 sows in production.

In addition to Africa, Zebuembryo also targets new markets in Southeast Asia. Countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia are already showing interest in Brazilian genetics, and negotiations for the first shipments are underway.

The work to open markets has the support of ABCZ, ApexBrasil, the Ministry of Agriculture and the network of Brazilian agricultural attachés abroad.

"We are tirelessly seeking new markets. Zebu genetics is a genuinely Brazilian technology and can play a strategic role in several tropical countries", he states.

For Bento Mineiro, the advancement of Brazilian bovine genetics abroad represents more than a commercial opportunity. This is the export of a production model developed in Brazil and which has been adopted by countries seeking to expand their capacity to produce food.

"It is a technology created in Brazil and used as a strategic tool in other parts of the world. This strengthens not only the export of genetics, but also the image of Brazilian agriculture and opens doors for other products from the country", he concludes.

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Source: CNN