Smart agriculture programme to save up to 30% water for plantations
Image: Expocacer
Water is a vital resource in the coffee production process, however, the sector faces challenges due to climate change, with reports of droughts and unstable rainfall. To ensure greater water security and mitigate socio-environmental impacts, the Consórcio Cerrado das Águas (CCA), in collaboration with the Cooperativa dos Cafeicultores do Cerrado (Expocacer) and other public and private sector companies, promotes the importance of the “Conscious Producer Investment Program (PIPC)” and other CCA initiatives that have already impacted 150,000 people. These initiatives include implementing strategies for soil and water health across 1,143 hectares (or 2,824 acres), achieving an 86.63% carbon management index, among other results.
The programme offers producers specialised services for the environmental development of their properties in three areas: restoration, climate-smart agricultural practices, and efficient water resource management. “We recently launched the first line of funding for water resilience and initiated an irrigation project with electronic sensors, which achieved a 30% water savings in the pilot project,” said Marcelo Urtado, coffee producer and president of the CCA.
The consortium team develops actions and projects aimed at creating sustainable productive landscapes, generating positive environmental and socio-economic impacts throughout the entire Cerrado Mineiro region. Results include: 2,981 hectares (or 7.366 acres) of crops with climate-smart agriculture strategies implemented, 195 hectares (or 481 acres) of conserved native vegetation, and to current date, 68,000 native species seedlings planted as part of the climate-smart agricultural initiatives.
For Expocacer, one of the consortium’s stakeholders, the health and sustainable use of the region’s watersheds are not only the most important indicators of intervention outcomes, but also a priority given the current water scarcity. “Without water, there is no coffee. That’s why we need to continue on this path of healthy and conscious agriculture, establishing more ethical and fair commercial relationships throughout the production chain, in line with the market’s sustainability agenda. We are committed to providing technical support and resources for those who wish to produce coffee responsibly,” emphasised Farlla Gomes, technical and sustainability manager at Expocacer.
Currently, services are provided across 116 rural properties in three basins: Patrocínio, Serra do Salitre, and Coromandel, covering a total area of 99,571 hectares (or 493.150 acres). The CCA has ensured water supply for the three municipalities, which together have more than 131,000 residents. “Our expansion strategy aims to reach other cities in the Cerrado region and additional basins to improve soil and water quality, enhance vegetation, create climate-smart agricultural corridors, and boost overall biodiversity in the region,” said Urtado.
Committed to the United Nations 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development, CCA and its supporters work to help producers and facilitate the transition to smart agriculture by offering technologies applicable to both native vegetation and productive areas, with a focus on improving water resource management, always based on scientific research and practical experience.
“Our cooperative is leading by example, demonstrating that it is possible to achieve commercial success while protecting and preserving natural resources, promoting the well-being of the environment, the people involved in coffee production, and local communities,” concluded the technical manager of sustainability at Expocacer.