Sudene
Encyclopedia
The Superintendency for the Development of the Northeast , or Sudene (suˈdẽni) for short, is a Brazil
ian governmental agency created in 1959, during the government of President Juscelino Kubitschek (1956-1961), to stimulate economic growth in the northeastern region of Brazil, one of the poorest of the country, that faces chronic droughts and has a semi-arid
climate. Sudene was created by suggestion of economist Celso Furtado
, one of the leading intellectuals of Brazil, who was the agency's first director.
, followed by governmental incentives for the creation of heavy industry projects, such as the Camaçari
Petrochemical Complex, in the state of Bahia
, and the industrial district of Aratu, in the metropolitan area of Salvador
. Sudene is also responsible for the formation of intermediary products industries: fertilizers production in the state of Sergipe
and a chemicals complex in Salgema, state of Alagoas
. In the state of Pernambuco
, investments concentrated on the metropolitan area of the city of Recife
, with durable goods industries being created in the cities of Jaboatão, Cabo and Paulista. In the state of Ceará
, a new perspective was adopted: Sudene's incentives helped form a textiles industrial area, around the capital of the state, Fortaleza
.
In 1999, Sudene was involved in corruption scandals which led President Fernando Henrique Cardoso
(1994-2002) to decrete its dissolution. In 2002, however, the agency was recreated with the name of Adene - Agency for the Development of the Northeast.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian governmental agency created in 1959, during the government of President Juscelino Kubitschek (1956-1961), to stimulate economic growth in the northeastern region of Brazil, one of the poorest of the country, that faces chronic droughts and has a semi-arid
Semi-arid
A semi-arid climate or steppe climate describes climatic regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not extremely...
climate. Sudene was created by suggestion of economist Celso Furtado
Celso Furtado
Celso Monteiro Furtado was an important Brazilian economist and one of the most distinguished intellectuals of his country during the 20th century. His work focuses on development and underdevelopment and on the persistence of poverty in peripheral countries throughout the world...
, one of the leading intellectuals of Brazil, who was the agency's first director.
Premise
Furtado's premise was that the semi-arid climate of the Northeast was an environmental reality against which it would be very unproductive to fight – despite governmental action to take water to that region – and that state poverty reduction programs should thus aim at using the existing natural advantages of the area – namely, its availability of labor – and promote industrialization instead of the region's traditional economic focus, which was on agriculture and livestock.Actions
The agency's first steps were to speed up the construction of hydroelectric dams in the São Francisco RiverSão Francisco River
The São Francisco is a river in Brazil. With a length of , it is the longest river that runs entirely in Brazilian territory, and the fourth longest in South America and overall in Brazil...
, followed by governmental incentives for the creation of heavy industry projects, such as the Camaçari
Camaçari
Camaçari is a city in Bahia, Brazil. It is located at . It is part of the Salvador Metropolitan Region , being the industrial city of the metropolis. Several factories and petrochemical plants compose one of largest industrial capabilities in Brazil, the largest of the Northeast region of the...
Petrochemical Complex, in the state of Bahia
Bahia
Bahia is one of the 26 states of Brazil, and is located in the northeastern part of the country on the Atlantic coast. It is the fourth most populous Brazilian state after São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, and the fifth-largest in size...
, and the industrial district of Aratu, in the metropolitan area of Salvador
Salvador, Bahia
Salvador is the largest city on the northeast coast of Brazil and the capital of the Northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia. Salvador is also known as Brazil's capital of happiness due to its easygoing population and countless popular outdoor parties, including its street carnival. The first...
. Sudene is also responsible for the formation of intermediary products industries: fertilizers production in the state of Sergipe
Sergipe
Sergipe , is the smallest state of the Brazilian Federation, located on the northeastern Atlantic coast of the country. It borders on two other states, Bahia to the south and west and Alagoas to the north, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean...
and a chemicals complex in Salgema, state of Alagoas
Alagoas
Alagoas is one of the 27 federative units of Brazil and is situated in the eastern part of the Northeast Region. It borders: Pernambuco ; Sergipe ; Bahia ; and the Atlantic Ocean . It occupies an area of 27,767 km², being slightly larger than Haiti...
. In the state of Pernambuco
Pernambuco
Pernambuco is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. To the north are the states of Paraíba and Ceará, to the west is Piauí, to the south are Alagoas and Bahia, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean. There are about of beaches, some of the most beautiful in the...
, investments concentrated on the metropolitan area of the city of Recife
Recife
Recife is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in Brazil with 4,136,506 inhabitants, the largest metropolitan area of the North/Northeast Regions, the 5th-largest metropolitan influence area in Brazil, and the capital and largest city of the state of Pernambuco. The population of the city proper...
, with durable goods industries being created in the cities of Jaboatão, Cabo and Paulista. In the state of Ceará
Ceará
Ceará is one of the 27 states of Brazil, located in the northeastern part of the country, on the Atlantic coast. It is currently the 8th largest Brazilian State by population and the 17th by area. It is also one of the main touristic destinations in Brazil. The state capital is the city of...
, a new perspective was adopted: Sudene's incentives helped form a textiles industrial area, around the capital of the state, Fortaleza
Fortaleza
Fortaleza is the state capital of Ceará, located in Northeastern Brazil. With a population close to 2.5 million , Fortaleza is the 5th largest city in Brazil. It has an area of and one of the highest demographic densities in the country...
.
In 1999, Sudene was involved in corruption scandals which led President Fernando Henrique Cardoso
Fernando Henrique Cardoso
Fernando Henrique Cardoso – also known by his initials FHC – was the 34th President of the Federative Republic of Brazil for two terms from January 1, 1995 to December 31, 2002. He is an accomplished sociologist, professor and politician...
(1994-2002) to decrete its dissolution. In 2002, however, the agency was recreated with the name of Adene - Agency for the Development of the Northeast.