Smart farming initiatives help Brazilian coffee farmers save 30 % on water consumption

Coffee growing areas are complaining of rising temperatures, erratic rainfall and increased prevalence of diseases and pests.

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The coffee belt is a particular problem. About 70 countries produce coffee in this belt, which stretches across five continents. Even slight variations in climate can affect production.

The Conscious Producers Investment Program has been led by the Cerrado Water Consortium since 2019, in partnership with companies such as the Brazilian cooperative Expocacer. The program aims to improve water security in the coffee sector and reduce the negative socio-environmental effects of climate change.

The program provides services to producers in three key areas: water management, climate-smart agriculture, and restoration. PIPC has been implemented by more than 150,000 farmers in the Cerrado Mineiro region. The soil and water health strategy has been implemented on 2,824 acres (1,143 hectares). This resulted in a carbon management index of 86.63 %.

The CCA promotes conservation, sustainable development and management of water resources in the Cerrado region. The CCA recently announced the launch of the first funding line for water resilience and launched an irrigation project using electronic sensors that resulted in a 30,% reduction in water consumption.

The CCA has implemented climate-smart agriculture strategies on 2,981 ha (7,366 acres), conserving 481 acres (481 hectares) of native vegetation and planting more than 68,000 species of native plants. The CCA’s services cover 116 rural properties spread across three basins, Patrocinio Serra do Salitre and Coromandel. This totals 99,571 ha (or 493,150 acres).

Urtado said the CCA has secured water supply to three municipalities with a combined population of more than 131,000. Our expansion strategy is to expand to other municipalities in the Cerrado region and other basins to improve soils and water, increase vegetation, create climate-smart agricultural corridors and boost biodiversity.

What are the specific strategies used?

The CCA's role is to help producers make the transition to smart agriculture by providing technologies that are applicable to both native vegetation and productive areas. These technologies will focus on water management and scientific research.

Fabiane Sebaio, the consortium's executive secretary, said it offers producers "a menu" of about 50 different methods.

Priority is given to three methods: Soil health The use of organic productsThe landscape is diverse.

She said that covering the soil continuously was a vital practice. The technique improves soil structure and biodiversity. It also balances temperature, retains moisture and promotes the growth of natural enemies of coffee pests.

Conservation biological control, or CBC (a pest management method that relies on natural enemies instead of pesticides to control pest populations), is essential for biodiversity. It involves manipulating the environment to improve the longevity, survival, and effectiveness of natural enemies against agricultural pests. The basic idea is to use the natural enemies of agricultural pests or disease-transmitting insect species, such as other insects, parasites, predators, and bacteria, viruses, fungi, and bacteria, to reduce their populations. This method reduces the use of pesticides, while minimizing the negative effects, including contamination and emissions related to its production.

She added that adding grass, trees or shrubs to the surroundings and to the crop can help create a diverse landscape. She said it was important to improve the landscape and maintain ecosystem services such as pollination, climate regulation, maintaining the hydrological cycle within watersheds.

Water is essential for coffee

Expocacer serves 680 exporters from more than 30 different countries on five continents. The report indicates that the sustainability and health of the region's watersheds are key indicators of the success of the interventions.

Farlla Gmes, Technical and Sustainability Manager at Expocacer, said: “We must continue on the path of healthy, conscious and ethical agriculture. We must also establish fairer and more ethical business relationships throughout the production chain so that the sustainability agenda set by the market is respected.”

Our cooperative leads by example. It shows that business success can be achieved while protecting natural resources and supporting the well-being of local communities, coffee farmers and the environment.