In the late 1960s, modernizing agricultural techniques and combating pests in Brazil were priorities for specialists at the Ministry of Agriculture. Despite advances in this field, the domestic market lacked a wide range of aircraft specialized for aerial crop spraying.

In 1969, the Ministry of Agriculture contacted the PAR (Aircraft Department of the CTA—then the Technical Center of Aeronautics), seeking to develop agricultural aircraft to replace models imported from the United States. An agricultural aircraft designed and manufactured in Brazil—the SP-18 "Onça," from the Institute for Technological Research (IPT)—already existed, but its specifications did not meet the needs of the time.

The CTA negotiated with the Ministry of Agriculture, which agreed to fund the development of the new aircraft, and studies subsequently began. As early as the preliminary design stage, the concept was named "Ipanema" in honor of the historic Ipanema Farm—located between Iperó and Sorocaba (São Paulo)—which at the time housed an agricultural aviation school and research center, both maintained by the Ministry of Agriculture.

The new aircraft was designed as a single-engine, low-wing model featuring aluminum alloy construction. The selected engine delivered 260 hp, while the high-performance propeller was manufactured by Hartzell. The chemical spray hopper was to be positioned between the pilot and the engine, with a capacity of up to 580 liters. Spraying equipment would be mounted on the wings, and the cockpit would be fully sealed to protect the pilot from toxic exposure. Additionally, the aircraft was designed to be disassembled, allowing for a thorough cleaning after every flight to prevent corrosion—a particularly critical issue for an aircraft operating with chemical products.

The aircraft was designed with various aerodynamic features to ensure safety during low-altitude flights—specifically at crop-canopy height. To mitigate risks associated with collisions with obstacles such as power lines, a steel blade capable of cutting cables and other objects was installed in front of the pilot's windshield and the landing gear struts.

With the creation of Embraer in 1969, some of the CTA's projects were transferred to the new company. Consequently, Embraer took over the development of the Ipanema, which was designated the EMB 200. The first prototype flew on July 31, 1970. It was the second aircraft produced by Embraer, following the Urupema. In March 1971, Corsário de Aviação S.A. ordered ten units of the aircraft. The EMB 200 received type certification in December of that same year. On February 11, 1972, the first Ipanema was delivered and began operations on coffee farms in Catanduva, São Paulo.

In 1973, the Ministry of Agriculture signed an agreement with Embraer to conduct agricultural mechanics courses at the Ipanema Farm. At the opening of the 7th Agricultural Aviation Course and the 1st Agricultural Mechanics Course on August 6, 1973, the Ministry received five EMB 200 aircraft from Embraer for the training of agricultural pilots. This marked the first time such courses were taught using domestically produced aircraft.

That same year, on November 22, the Ipanema became the 100th aircraft delivered by Embraer to the Brazilian market, going to the company Serviços Agro-Aéreos do Sul Ltda. The aircraft also achieved success abroad, accounting for a significant portion of Embraer's sales in the 1970s. The first export of the Ipanema was finalized with Uruguay's Ministry of Agriculture in 1975, marking one of the company's earliest exports.

In response to market dynamics, the Ipanema underwent modifications. Back in 1973, Embraer developed and launched a new version of the aircraft, the EMB 200A, featuring larger wheels and constant-speed (variable-pitch) propellers, though the engine and hopper remained unchanged. In September 1974, Embraer launched the EMB 201, featuring a more powerful engine (300 hp), a 680-liter hopper for agricultural chemicals, and an injection system designed to prevent power loss during sharp maneuvers at low altitudes. Following Embraer's acquisition of Neiva, production of the Ipanema was moved to Botucatu (São Paulo), the headquarters of the newly acquired company. By 1984, 500 Ipanema units had been sold.

Starting in the 1990s, the Ipanema design had to address the evolving demands of Brazilian agriculture. Consequently, a new version—the EMB 202—was launched in 1992, featuring a 950-liter hopper and an optional electrostatic spraying system. This accessory incorporated technology in which each particle released by the spray nozzles became electrically charged, thereby attracting it to the plant. This ensured complete coverage by the applied product, resulting in significant cost savings. Seeking to expand its market presence, Embraer developed another version of the EMB 202 in 2002, equipped with a 320 hp engine powered by ethanol—a fuel produced in Brazil. This new version was designated the EMB 202 and received certification from the CTA in October 2004.