摘要：Brazil is a pioneer country in the use of bio-fuels, sugar cane being the most important bio-resource transformed in ethanol. Sugar cane production and yields are growing, and the industrial process is constantly improving. The Proalcool Program was launched in 1975, following the petroleum crisis of 1973. A strategic choice has been made by the State and the different actors to use alcohol and bio-diesel in the cars. Motors have been modified to reach this objective, the flexfuel motor being the decisive innovation in this field. First, we make a review of the Proalcool impacts, notably on its agriculture and agribusiness effects. Positive consequences are: decrease of energy dependency; less pollution and less greenhouse gas emissions. Then, we propose an empirical and systemic analysis of some limits of this program. How could the sugar cane and soybean capital-intensive production develop a sustainable model, notably on environmental and social as pects? Would the public policies, in large scale geared to promote use of ethanol and soybean oil, be able, to maintain both an intensive production of bio-fuel and a good level of food security, even if this country has one of the most important land reserves in the world?
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