---
title: Safrinha Double-Cropping System
type: technology
url: "https://www.envisioning.com/research/spore/brazil__safrinha-double-cropping-system"
hub: spore
summary: Tropical latitudes allow Brazilian farmers to harvest two crops per year on the same land — soy followed by corn — doubling productivity in a way temperate climates physically cannot replicate
---

# Safrinha Double-Cropping System

Tropical latitudes allow Brazilian farmers to harvest two crops per year on the same land — soy followed by corn — doubling productivity in a way temperate climates physically cannot replicate
- Technology Readiness Level: 9/9
- Impact: 4/5
- Investment: 3/5
The safrinha ('little harvest') system plants soybeans in September-October and harvests in January-February, then immediately plants corn or cotton on the same field for a second harvest by June-July. This is only possible in tropical latitudes with year-round growing seasons.

Approximately 50% of Brazil's soybean area now supports a second corn crop. The potential for expansion is enormous: an additional 40 million acres could be double-cropped based on current soybean area in the eight main producing states.

The safrinha system gives Brazil a structural cost advantage over temperate competitors like the US and Argentina, who can only harvest once per year. It also reduces pressure to clear new land — increasing production per hectare rather than expanding hectares under cultivation.

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Source: Envisioning — Technology Research Institute (https://www.envisioning.com/research/spore/brazil__safrinha-double-cropping-system)