Twenty Brazilian farms associated with the Cerrado Coffee Growers Cooperative (Expocacer) have received the Carbon on Track label from the Institute for Forest and Agricultural Management and Certification (Imaflora) for low-carbon production.
Carbon on Track is an Imaflora program designed to recognise low-carbon agriculture and forest restoration in the climate agenda. Through the program, agricultural enterprises can contract the calculation of the carbon balance that shows the estimated emission and removal of greenhouse gases from their activities, based on internationally recognised methodologies.
“Expocacer’s pioneering spirit is fundamental to opening doors for the coffee-growing sector to move towards low-carbon production, since verification processes play a fundamental role in adding impartiality and greater reliability to the process,” says Alessandro Rodrigues, Imaflora’s ESG and Carbon on Track Services Manager.
The 20 Expocacer farms awarded the low-carbon label have a total area of more than 3,600 hectares of coffee plantations. During inspections, an emission value of 0.85 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per acre per year was found. Upon verification, an absolute value of 17,421.00 Mg CO2e or 2.60kg CO2e per kilogram was confirmed, which is considered low.
“This proves the sustainable work our members have been doing for over 10 years. Our intention is to promote, encourage, and nurture a cutting-edge coffee culture tied to positive impact. We are very pleased to be able to support the movement towards a healthier environment,” says Farlla Gomes, Technical Sustainability Manager of Expocacer.
Expocacer believes the trend towards reducing greenhouse gases is something that should be followed by other coffee growers around the world. Producer Roger Montanari adds that the Carbon on Track label attests to the practices already adopted by most coffee growers in the region.
“The carbon verification comes to consolidate the work that rural producers in the Cerrado Mineiro region have been doing for decades, which is to reduce carbon emissions through sustainable agricultural practices, serving as a model protocol for the world in environmental, social, and economic terms. With this label, we can prove we are protagonists in this crucial role of contributing to a more sustainable future, with a reduced impact on climate change,” says Montanari.
