Porto Alegre - Vice president José Alencar, speaking at the official opening of the 2nd International Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (2ª Conferência Internacional sobre Reforma Agrária e Desenvolvimento Rural), which is promoted by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Brazilian government, declared that land reform can prolong growth and stimulate development.

"Land reform is a good example of the virtuous moment the country is going through as we rebuild and develop for a long cycle we need a strong domestic economy," said the vice president, who is also the minister of Defense.

"But our land reform must be intelligent and responsible. We cannot harm those who are producing and expanding abroad in world markets," declared Alencar, adding that land reform has to be peaceful and just, a land reform with quality, so that the most needy can have an opportunity to live off the land and build their future there."

Translation: Allen Bennett