Trends for sustainability of arabica coffee in highland regions

Abstract

Coffee is the main economic activity of 80% of the municipalities of Espírito Santo State, Brazil. Arabica is cultivated in highland
areas (600-1,200 m), in 26,313 rural farms, involving 53,000 families, in an area of 150,000 ha, and an annual average production of 3 million bags. Although technologies are available, the sustainability of this coffee crop faces several challenges, such as cost reduction, increase in quality of life and income, soil conservation and improvement of coffee quality. Technologies that have been made available such as better adapted cultivars, semi-mechanized harvesting, more adapted implements to sloped conditions, micro-terracing of plantations, soil cover management, adequate prunings, correct chemical and organic fertilizations, have allowed improvement of productivity and levels of sustainability. Suitable harvesting point, post-harvest technologies for different altitudes, different forms and times for fermentation, protected system for the drying of the grains and techniques for post-harvest handling preserve the global potential of different beverage qualities, emphasizing different flavors/aromas. Besides, continuous training in good farming practice (GFP) and post-harvesting, grading/tasting/roasting courses on roasted/ground coffee and espresso allow better marketing of different coffees to national/international markets, retail chains or directly to consumers, improving economic sustainability. Achieving higher levels of sustainability is a continuous process and depends on the global acceptance by the different actors involved in the production chain and the consumer market. Only with awareness among the actors involved and adequate remuneration of higher coffees will rural households continue to be stimulated to remain on farms, producing high quality coffee, preserving the environment, and generating employment and income in rural areas in the mountains of Espírito Santo.