How Brazilian coffee farmers are reducing their impact on the environment

Karen Pham

Karen Pham

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Brazilian coffee producers have applied techniques to cut down greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on farms.

The coffee industry estimates the South American nation’s coffee plantations now absorb around 10.5 tonnes of CO2 per hectare annually.

Brazilian people have already been working on methods to reduce GHG emissions, such as rationing water, fuel and electricity, setting up solar panels to create clean energy, covering plants, and boosting bees’ pollination rates.

The agriculture and forestry sector contributes between 13 per cent and 21 per cent of global emissions worldwide.

James Combs, the owner of Combs’ Coffee in Texas, USA, prefers to source coffee beans from Brazil over other countries as he believes that sustainable farming is important to consumers when they make purchasing decisions.

“My business is green certified, so sustainability is very important to me. That is why I travel to the farms directly, so I can meet the producers and see how sustainable their places are,” said Combs.

“I believe that the farmers in Brazil are taking it seriously and trying hard to be sustainable at scale.”

Brazilian coffee growers are still working to develop more sustainable agricultural methods. The country aims to achieve economic sustainability through the whole coffee value chain, from coffee grain to the consumer’s cup.

Karen Pham

Karen Pham

Karen Pham is a marketing and branding enthusiast with a major in legal English. Based in Ho Chi Minh City, she is a contributor to Viable.Earth.

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